My Cyber Psychosis is Task Prompt-Chapter 259 - 151: Wanderer and Lone Wolf

Don’t like eating it?

"Alright."

John slipped it into his pocket and lifted the tent flap, only to realize he’d slept quite a while.

Night had already fallen.

Mobile lights once again blanketed the camp.

Several military off-road vehicles were propped up on the open ground, with a grill made from repurposed vehicles sizzling with oil, featuring some Mexican tortillas and synthetic meat chunks.

Around them, many Wanderers were gathered, holding beers in hand. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

They were discussing a military off-road vehicle in the center of the area, occasionally pointing beneath the lifted hood, offering different modification ideas and configuration comparisons.

Suddenly, a beast-like roar erupted.

The tires kicked up dust, which coated the headlights, and the surrounding Wanderers immediately burst into cheers.

"Ha, what a fantastic bitch, I knew, damn it, you could be even more sensational!"

Screwdriver slid out from underneath the car.

He clapped his oil-stained palms, took a beer from someone nearby, and slowly backed away amidst the roaring sound, his expression exceptionally satisfied.

John’s understanding of vehicles wasn’t limited to driving skills.

In fact, even a layman, without turning on any scanner, would be envious to the point of weak knees at the sight of the aesthetic metallic shell and the titanium signs on the parts, just listening to the heart-stirring engine noise.

The Wanderers pulled John into the discussion.

He took the opportunity to place his hand on the hood, bent down, observed the details obscured by parts, as if his fingers were sliding over silky smooth artificial leather.

"Damn."

"What a marvel."

"I’d be willing to get hands-on to help you adjust the coefficients."

...

Screwdriver basked in the praise, responding to the surrounding banter, and only after feeling satisfied did he set down his beer bottle and beckon John away.

They passed through the parking lot, away from the lively crowd, and under the watchful eyes of another group of Wanderers enjoying the quiet night, returned to the large workshop dedicated to modifications and repairs.

Phut——

The metal sliding door slowly opened, the pressure relief valve spurted out white mist, purple-blue lights and rock music oozed out, and the air was filled with the scent of chemical materials.

Jurassic ZT15 had completed repairs and maintenance.

This vehicle was originally a gift to John from the Wanderers, in the camp’s campaign at Silver Port and the scrapyard, they captured a large number of high-end original vehicles and parts, ready to use.

Screwdriver swayed his steps to the music, kicked through the dense fog, brushed aside mechanical arms, grabbed an electronic respirator and took a deep puff, his face immediately mixed with a look of clarity and intoxication.

They examined the armored car after its paint job.

"Ah, John, I know you’re an expert too; the basic maintenance and armor filling aren’t worth mentioning, those are small matters. You could find any car repair shop in Eden City to do it... The focus is on the back end."

John noticed the new trunk lid was heftier than the previous one.

Screwdriver tapped it, producing a dull yet reassuring sound.

"I believe you can race faster than anyone else, so the back end needs to be tough as f*ck, see, an explosion-proof alloy sandwich, Isaac Military Industry uses this material for their tanks. Without some serious equipment, it can’t be breached, letting your enemies eat dust with peace of mind."

The lid slowly rose.

The new seats were also black and gray leather, the same as the original, exuding an air of high-end luxury.

Phut——

The electric valve automatically lifted.

The entire trunk space was redesigned, turning it into a temporary armory.

On top were slots precisely cut in sturdy flexible material, perfectly embedding Hercules in it, like a model displayed to customers by an arms dealer.

A subtle blue hidden light strip simultaneously lit up, and the metallic surface took on a layer of solemn gloss.

Hercules’ exclusive magazine was inlaid beside it.

John removed one and noticed the hidden magnetic block inside the groove; then he looked down to flip the heavy magazine, discovering it was packed full—with electromagnetic incendiary rounds manufactured by a professional arms company.

"F*ck, luxury! Way better than the cheap stuff I hand-grind, makes me a bit reluctant to use it. Mercenaries get spoiled, and it’s hard to lower their spending standards afterward."

John propped his hands on the front of the trunk, his gaze wandering with the breathing light.

Screwdriver shrugged, shook his head, and knocked gently on the armor plate with his fingers.

"Deserved, buddy. If we hadn’t met you, we wouldn’t even have the chance to collect Simon’s body. Now the warehouse is full of fancy cars, with bullets and weapons more than we can spend, not even an Exile to spar with on the wasteland, just shooting scrap electronics and cacti... but life’s pretty comfortable."

John raised an eyebrow, tilting his head.

"Hidden meaning in your words?"

"...Join us, Nando must’ve mentioned it to you. The timing’s perfect now, we could become true brothers."

Screwdriver leaned against the console, arms raised to enjoy the e-cigarette, mentioning it as if it were a mundane matter, but his peripheral vision constantly and deliberately monitored John’s reactions. Seeing John calmly wave a hand over the sensor block, causing the trunk lid to slowly close, he knew—this wasn’t happening.

John turned around, smiling, fist-bumped Screwdriver, circled back to the driver’s seat, lowered the window, and furrowed his brow.

He hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a sense of relief.

"I don’t know what having a home means for a Lone Wolf, but the thought of it makes me feel uneasy... I’m not ready yet, but that won’t change my relationship with Damascus."

He extended his hand to shake Screwdriver’s, drawing closer, softly bumping forearms as a silent farewell.

Jurassic ZT15 revved up with an echoing roar, smoothly passing through the sand-covered parking lot, through the checkpoint, and veering back onto the suburban main road...