"Sheriff Andy, we've arrived at the location Karl sent and are beginning the lockdown," reported one of the officers. Andy, dressed in full

"Sheriff Andy, we've arrived at the location Karl sent and are beginning the lockdown," reported one of the officers. Andy, dressed in full

"Sheriff Andy, we've arrived at the location Karl sent and are beginning the lockdown," reported one of the officers.

Andy, dressed in full NCPD uniform, nodded.

"Proceed carefully. Karl is dealing with a cyberpsycho this time. I fully trust his abilities, but when it comes to cyberpsychos, you can never be too cautious. Operate in teams of four. If you encounter someone showing symptoms, fall back and request backup. Have anyone with Kerenzikov ready to intercept."

The elite team Andy led had been specially dispatched by Deputy Chief Johnson. All of them were young, well-equipped, and trained to act with discipline and decisiveness. They were stronger than standard NCPD officers, capable of taking on gangs like the Tyger Claws in one-on-many situations. Still, even elite cops struggled when facing a true cyberpsycho.

Only someone truly dangerous earned the label of "cyberpsycho," and Andy had seen Karl use that word in his message. If even Karl was calling them that, then the person he was dealing with had to be something else. For that reason, Andy opted for caution.

After giving his team instructions over the police channel, Andy adjusted his gloves, picked up his Ajax kinetic rifle, and stepped alone into the lockdown zone.

One of the officers tried to follow him, but Andy waved them off.

His reasoning was simple: only he in his squad could face off with a cyberpsycho. The others, while capable, would likely suffer losses. Andy couldn't accept that. If it wasn't necessary, he wasn't going to put his teammates at risk.

"Just me and Karl inside this perimeter, that's enough to handle this."

His gaze was calm as he moved against the flow of evacuees, entering the now-cleared block within Watson.

The neighborhood was dense with makeshift buildings and winding alleys. It looked narrow and cramped—far different from the wide streets the squad had sealed off.

"How the hell did Karl run into a cyberpsycho here? Was he just wandering around killing time and stumbled into this? This whole area looks like the kind of place you have to intentionally walk into."

Suddenly, Andy caught a faint sound.

Here.

He followed it into an alley that split into what seemed like a web of branching paths.

Andy flipped the safety off his Ajax rifle, removed the magazine, and slid it into his coat pocket. Then, setting the rifle aside at the alley's entrance, he drew his Liberty kinetic pistol and held it firmly.

This narrow alley wasn't suitable for long guns. The Ajax wouldn't help here, so he disassembled it to prevent someone from picking it up and using it against him. He opted for his sidearm, which was better suited for the tight space.

"Hoo…"

Taking a deep breath, Andy locked his grip on the Liberty and adopted a stance—slightly leaning forward, with his shoulders squared, arms extended straight to form a solid triangle with his chest.

This was the Isosceles stance, a standard police combat posture.

In this stance, his legs kept high flexibility, allowing for quick reactions even in the event of a surprise attack. Raised in an NCPD household, Andy was more than familiar with this position.

As he approached the corner, he switched stances—pulling his arms close to his body, holding the gun near his chest.

This was the Center Axis Relock (CAR) stance, which, while less mobile than the first stance, was more effective in close-quarter combat. It allowed for quicker turning and better recoil control, forming tight, locked triangles with his arms. It also reduced exposure to ricochets. Andy had learned this stance during his time as a mercenary.

Switching between these two stances was second nature for Andy—it was almost automatic. This muscle memory was one of his greatest strengths. After all, he was the guy who once soloed through the entire Cloudtop Tower. Inside the NCPD, aside from MaxTac, few could match his level.

So when he heard the sound of a blade slicing through the air from the side, Andy reacted instantly.

Before even seeing the attacker, his Liberty fired.

Amid the crack of gunpowder and muzzle flash, Andy saw the assailant clearly: a woman with her Mantis Blades extended, her blue cybernetic eyes glowing red at the edges.

The bullet struck her—but was deflected by the subdermal armor she wore.

Now she was right in front of him, a Mantis Blade slashing down.

Andy didn't dodge. His left hand, freed from holding the pistol, reacted in slow motion, thanks to Kerenzikov.

He raised his palm.

"CLANG!"

The Mantis Blade slammed into his hand with a metallic clang. The NCPD glove on his hand was torn in half, revealing a metal prosthetic hand, almost severed by the blade.

That hand had been destroyed long ago when Karl saved him. It had since been replaced with a smart-alloy prosthetic.

The woman realized her ambush had failed. She tried to swing her other Mantis Blade—but Andy had already dropped the Liberty from his right hand.

Mantis Blades, being better suited for thrusting than slashing, needed a recovery period after a failed attack. Andy, who had fought many Tyger Claws, knew exactly how to exploit that window.

His alloy right hand clenched into a fist and slammed hard into her face, denting her cheek slightly and sending her flying backward.

"Strong rebound... she has facial subdermal armor too. Maelstrom, maybe?"

Andy shook his hand and saw Karl approaching in the distance at a leisurely pace.

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