Thug Quest 10 begins 3 hours from now.

>>913264
>>913270
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY
Missed the last couple, but read them both. I'm fuckin' hyped.

>>913270
Why you gotta break my heart like this, Bossman?

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Tonight's the big heist. Be ready to get rich or die trying.


>>913285
(pic)

>>913336
Sorry anon, just got in from work, things to do. If you're lucky I might be ready ahead of time.

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"-temperatures continue to approach 90 degrees with no end in sight to this heat wave. The city is heating up, and tempers with it. We have reports of a little road rage violence breaking out at traffic accidents along Jefferson Bridge and Kennedy Avenue, so avoid those routes on your travels today. If you have to travel today, make sure to bring a gun. Stay tuned for the latest updates on traffic, news, and the hottest hits of the eighties, right here on RK-1, Heat City's number one radio!"

Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ30vbWxsqU

Tonight, you're going to get rich or die trying. Things will be different tomorrow, one way or another. Part of you thinks it's crazy to stick your neck out for money. That a bruiser like you should never have got mixed up in this.

Another part of you is way more interested in a 15% cut of that vault. With that kind of money, you could buy whatever you want. Cars. A house. Your own crew. In the end, we are living in a material world, and you're a material girl.

You're standing at the open window of Ken's guest room, listening to the radio, feeling the heat of the late afternoon beat down. Your cigarette smoulders in an ashtray on the windowsill. Ken's house sits up on a hill, and from here you have a good view of the city, and the Pacific Ocean beyond. You watch the sun reflect on the water, wondering if it's the last time you'll look out on this view.

You think about how far you've come. From a no-name enforcer doing whatever dirty job came his way, to a hunted man on the run from half the city, to point man for a motley crew of badasses on some kind of grand heist. However the job tonight goes, it's been a hell of a run already.

Catherine will get everybody together soon to get geared up. You've got time to talk to one or two of your heist companions, or just take some time for yourself.

>Talk to Alex
>Talk to Nick
>Talk to Ryuji
>Talk to Ken
>Talk to Catherine
>Just listen to the radio
>Something else

>>914347
>>Talk to Catherine

>>914347
>Talk to Catherine

>>914347
Here he is!
>Talk to Alex
>Talk to Catherine

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>>914347
>Talk to Ryuji
>Talk to Catherine
Practice some more English with them, particularly some basic warnings and hand signs, maybe some famous movie quotes too.

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You find Catherine in the living room. She's supposed to be going over the equipment. Instead she's sitting zoned out on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest, staring into space.

You clear your throat to get her attention. She's startled for a moment, and gets flustered to realize she's been caught in an awkward position, but she stands up and quickly regains her composure. "Ahem. Johnny."

"Hey, Catherine. You doing all right? I mean, you've been through something heavy."
"I'm fine, Johnny. I'm ..." She sighs, holds her forehead for a moment. "I admit that I'm in some difficulty. I am someone who doesn't get involved. I stay impartial. Objective. I learn information, I produce results. I don't let my personal feelings get in the way. But this job. It's personal."

"You mean what happened with your dad at the club?"

"More than that." Catherine paces to the window, looks out. "You know my father was involved with the Triads? The Z trade was a product of their alliance. The whole network was something he and the Triads created together. That's where this all started. I hated him. I wanted to destroy something he held dear, something that he ... that he'd sacrificed for."

She looks down at her hands. "Now he's dead. And I'm still going through with the plan. For what? Revenge on a dead man?"

>Try to comfort her.
>Keep her focused.
>Make a joke.
>Ask her why she wanted revenge.
>Something else.

>>914440
>Ask her why she wanted revenge.
>Make a joke

>>914440
>>Try to comfort her.
>>Ask her why she wanted revenge.

>>914440
>Make a joke.
>Ask her why she wanted revenge.
Nothing wrong with facetiousness

>>914485
Seconded. Making light of this seems in poor taste.

You're stuck between offering comfort and making a joke. You make your best effort at a comforting joke. "Money's a pretty good reason to do something like this. So you at least don't have to worry about that. I have to ask, though. Why would you want revenge on your own father?"

Catherine smiles coldly. "Any number of people would want revenge against Ichiro Yamada. The grim story of the Yamada clan goes back many years. In this particular case?" She takes a few moments to think about it. Wondering whether to let you in on this bit of family history. She takes out a silver cigarette case, withdraws a long cigarette with elegant fingers.

"You may have noticed that Ryuji and I don't exactly look alike. That's because we have different mothers. My mother was Russian. I remember her well. She had long hair, very blonde. Like an angel. They met when she was travelling in Japan. They were happy together, for a time. And then."

She strikes a match. "You just heard me mention sacrifices. She ... was one of them."

You see the match flame trembling as she tries to light the cigarette.

>Light it for her.
>Give her space.
>Share a tough time from your own past.
>Something else.

>>914586
>Light it for her.
>Share a tough time from your own past.

>>914596
seconded

>>914596
>>914586
Yuppers

"Here. Let me get that for you." You reach forward, steadying the match for her. Her skin is smooth but cold. She looks up at you, the flame's reflection dancing in her dark eyes.

"You know ..." you say, trying to find the words. "I lost someone close to me too, once. A girl. Thought about marrying her, but that never happened. When she died, it was like I was on fire. Like I was burning up from the inside, leaving this big, hollow space. And I was in prison, too, so I had nothing and no-one to distract me. Just the blank walls, and the pain."

You step back from her, look down at your hands, tighten them into fists. "And it was like ... even if I got revenge, if I got to the man who did that to her, and I killed him with my own hands. If I made him feel the same pain that she felt. So what? She'd still be gone.

"Then when I got out? He was already dead. Six feet under. So I had nothing. Not even revenge. What I'm trying to say is, I kind of know how you feel. It's a tough fucking life when you lose someone. But you just keep moving forward, one step at a time."

You point to yourself, then to her. "Me and you, we're just going to keep moving forward. Starting by knocking off this vault, and getting rich."

Catherine inhales deeply from the cigarette. Exhales slowly. "Thanks, Johnny. You're all right. Why don't you go get the others? It's time you suited up."

>Get Alex from the garage
>Get Nick from the kitchen
>Get Ryuji from the yard

>>914665
>Get Ryuji from the yard

>>914665
>Get Ryuji from the yard
Let's see his training area.

>>914665

>Get Alex from the garage

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You head to the yard, wondering if Ryuji has some kind of ninja training ground set up.

Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xq9qo5F58s

You enter a grassy yard, fenced, with well-tended flower beds and a tall tree. Around the yard - on a tree stump, a deck table, a garbage can, and suspended from a tree branch by a rope - are four firewood logs. Ryuji stands in the center of the yard with his back to you, sword in its sheath, held in one hand at his side.

You wait a moment to see if he does anything cool.

Ryuji, very slowly, brings the sword out in front of him. Then he moves. "Urrrya!" Almost faster than you can see, he pulls the sword out of its wooden scabbard, the sunlight flashing on the blade. With wide sweeping strokes, he slashes once, twice, three times.

All four pieces of wood fall apart into halves, landing on the grass with dull thuds. You only counted three, how did he even-?

Ryuji twirls the sword, slowly re-sheaths it. Turns around, bows slightly towards you. "こんにちは. Good day, Johnny."

"Hey, Ryuji. Some fancy sword skills you got there."

>Where'd you learn to fight like that?
>When did you come to America?
>You know they have these things called "guns" now, right?
>Let me teach you an important English phrase.
>Something else.

>>914761
>Where'd you learn to fight like that?

>>914761
>Where'd you learn to fight like that?
>How long have you been living in the States?
>Mind if we spar hand-to-hand someday?

"Where'd you learn to fight like that? It's impressive."

"えええと ..." He's trying to think of the English. "I learn in Japan. When I am small. Then I come here. I learn from Ken."

"From Ken, huh?" Somehow that doesn't surprise you. You wonder what other tricks the old man has up his sleeve. "How long you lived here in the states?"

"Too long. I miss home. But ..." He shrugs. "I am here."

"Yeah. Fair enough. Maybe we can spar hand-to-hand some day. For now, your sister said we'd better get suited up. Why don't you head inside?"

"Okay. I go." He pumps his fist as he walks past you. "Soon we rich! よし!"

You shake your head at him as he walks away. It's a little weird to see a real life ninja or samurai or whatever in 1980s America. But he's probably a good guy to have along on a stealth mission.

You head to the garage to find Alex.

(Continued)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhGEGIBGLu8

You enter the garage. An old tape deck radio in the corner is playing Dio. A couple of Ken's cars are parked in here. You recognize one from a recent getaway. Stacks of old car magazines, a shelf of records by a dusty record player.

Alex is by the workbench. She has her gun, a Heckler & Koch G3, and its attachments, laid out on a sheet on the bench, and she's going over the details with a professional's eye.

"Hey, Alex," you say, leaning against the garage door frame.

"Hey, tough guy," she replies, not looking up. "Just doing the usual triple, quadruple check everything routine."

"You like to be methodical, huh?"

"You bet. Have to rely on your tools, if nothing else. Keep them healthy, and they'll return you the favor."

>Ready for tonight?
>What do you plan to do with the money?
>Who taught you all this stuff?
>Something else.

>>914869
>Ready for tonight?

>>914869
>Who taught you all this stuff?

>>914869
>Ready for tonight?
>Who taught you all this stuff?

"Ready for tonight?"

"You bet," she says. "Just another job."

You look at her a few moments. She looks cool as a cucumber. "Really?"

"... all right, I'm nervous, yeah. Who wouldn't be? Attacking a damn skyscraper fortress. But I can handle it. I've been through worse."

"I guess you have," you say. You watch her attach the scope to her gun with efficient movements. "You are pretty hardcore. Who taught you this stuff? How'd you get started in all this?"

"Long story," she says. "Short version? It's kind of the family business. That's something I've got in common with the Yamadas here. I've got a weird family." She finishes up, slings the rifle, turns towards you. "I'll tell you about it some other time. Right now, we've got shit to do. Let's go."

You turn away, stop when she says, "Oh, and Johnny?"

"Yeah, Alex?"

"My job's still the same."

You remember her saying that. It was only a few days ago, although it feels like a lifetime. Alex in the kitchen of the white safehouse apartment."Very occasionally, I try to stop someone from getting killed. That one's harder. Right now my job is to stop you from getting killed."

In the present, she's looking at you with a similar expression. "Got it?"

You nod. "Got it."

(Continued)

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Everyone is assembled in the living room. Catherine has updated the board, and gathered all the supplies in one place.

"Here we are," she says, looking around. "I hope we're all ready and resolved."

A few glances around, a few nods of agreement. Nick shakes his head. "You all are crazy," he announces. "But I'm along for the ride. So fuck it. Let's do it."

"We're ready," says Alex.

"Good," says Catherine. "Then let's get you suited up in something appropriate for a stealth mission." She unzips one bag, pulls it open. Inside are several sets of black clothes.

"Fantastic," you say, holding up a black turtleneck sweater. "Just like in Bullitt." You pull yours on immediately.

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>>914907

>>914912
Does anyone else in the party have the slightly darker black version?

Catherine unzips another bag. Brings out two grenade belts with cylindrical grenades. "Tear gas, as you requested" she says. "Which is why I also got you these," she adds, placing four black gas masks on the table.

"Damn," says Nick. "We're going to look like the fucking spook squad. This is great!"

The four of you get loaded up.

Alex has her H&K G3 with a scope attachment, smoke and gas grenades, and a motion-sensor IED.

Nick has an Uzi on loan from Ken, and the power drill he needs to break into the safe.

Ryuji has an Uzi, gas grenades, his katana, and some kind of ninja throwing knives.

You're carrying Edna's refurbished medieval crossbow, the trusty magnum, a knife, a meat cleaver, the bulky suitcase-sized EMP device, and as your primary weapon ...

>AK-74 assault rifle, versatile, reliable
>M79 grenade launcher, big booms
>Ultimax 100 light machine gun, heavy firepower

>Other loadout requests

>>914926
>Ultimax 100 light machine gun, heavy firepower
If this thing goes loud, I see us either needing to suppress or mow down a LOT of fucking triads.

>>914926
ULTIMAX

Ultimax it is.

>>914907
I'm also going to point out that the percentages in this graphic are everyone's cut of the take. Just so you know later why you're getting 15%. If you want to haggle, better late than never.

>>914926
>AK-74 assault rifle, versatile, reliable

Keep it light, in case there's some nifty Chinese weapons in there. Like swords, or NORINCO pistols.

>>914936
Cuts seem fair. We will have to try to arrange a sit down with Alex's employers, as they will likely have a word for us if we are planning on getting out of the game.

You ready the solid, now-familiar weight of the Ultimax. This bad boy has seen you safely through some serious firefights recently. Might as well stick with a good thing.

Ken approaches you, carrying a scoped Springfield rifle. You wonder if he's had that since the Korean War. "I have arranged for a nearby rooftop helipad to be available," he says. "I will keep watch from there with this. I'm a little out of practice, so don't expect me to shoot anything. I'm just going to keep watch on the roof and the streets. If you need me for evac, just call on the radio, and I'll have the chopper in the air in no time."

"All right," you say. "Thanks, Ken. Good luck out there."

You think to yourself. Is there something you're forgetting? Oh yeah. "Hey, Catherine. Did you hear back from Zero?"

As if in response to your question, the kitchen phone rings. Catherine smiles at you, gestures towards the kitchen door.

"Hello?" you say into the phone.

"Johnny!" you hear Zero's voice. "Are you prepared for our perilous caper?"

"Sure, yeah. How are things with you and your girlf- uh, your rival?"

"We are all set!" he proclaims. "Most of the security was easy to bypass. At least, for a hacker of skill such as myself.

"Also, Johnny, I've taken the liberty of giving your friend Ryuji a gadget of my design known as the "red box,"" he says. "Once inside, he can simply unplug any telephone and plug in the box. Once online, I can reroute all calls within the building to a phone number of my choice. Any phone calls they make to their partners in crime, or god forbid the police, will be intercepted by yours truly."

"Is that really going to work?" you ask.

"Please, Johnny." says Zero. "I've been phreaking since I found a whistle in a box of Cap'n Crunch cereal when I was six years old. OF COURSE it's going to work. Now. The alarm systems were easily dealt with. You won't have to worry about tripping a laser or noise sensor. The cameras are another matter. Once the red box is installed, I'll have a link to the cameras here. But I can only modify them for a short time until the guards catch on. Call me on the radio when you need me to disable them."

"And remember," cuts in the girl's voice. Burn. "When you discharge the EMP, your radios will burn out. Any long distance communication you need, make sure to do it before then."

"Burn!" says Zero. "I told you not to- well I can't- if you just" the other end of the line dissolves into bickering.

"Okay, thanks!" you say, and hang up.

You walk back into the living room and take a look at your rag-tag gang. Alex, the professional. Nick, pacing back and forth nervously. Ken talking calmly to Ryuji in Japanese, probably imparting some ancient wisdom.

>Say something inspiring
>Keep them focused
>Make a joke
>Something else

>>914957
>Say something inspiring

>>914957
>Say something inspiring
"I fully admit that I'm not exactly the most inspiring guy. Pretty sure you guys might agree. But tonight, if we pull this off, we'll be making criminal history. We'll be stealing from characters who need a swift karma delivery. We might not have our faces and names known or put in the papers, at least in the best case scenario, but Heat City will never forget what we'll do to these assholes."

>>914963
Second this, it's pretty good.

You cough to get the room's attention. They turn towards you. "Hey everyone. So uh. I fully admit that I'm not exactly the most inspiring guy. Pretty sure you guys might agree. But tonight, if we pull this off, we'll be making criminal history. We'll be stealing from characters who need a swift karma delivery. We might not have our faces and names known or put in the papers, at least in the best case scenario, but Heat City will never forget what we'll do to these assholes."

It was a pretty good speech, you think.

Ken, at least, agrees. "Well spoken, Johnny. I am sure of your success." He translates some of it for Ryuji, who didn't follow most of that.

Alex shrugs. "I give it a 6 out of 10 for inspirational speeches. "Satisfactory"." She smirks. "Not bad for a thug like you."

"Let's just get this over with," says Nick, sweating. "This waiting is killing me."

Catherine's hard to read. But she seems to have faith in you, one way or another. "Good luck out there, Johnny," she says. "All of you. Stay safe out there. Come back alive."

>>914982
Give us another mood song, senpai

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Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4

A darkened alleyway, under the shadow of the Triads' tower. Just enough space to park your nondescript car. Everyone gets out, and readies their equipment. Nick prepares the grapple launcher.

"I hear they invented these things for the Seals," says Nick, as he quickly power drills the launcher into the ground. He squints one eye as he aims it at the roof. "Infiltration of high positions or something. Comes in handy today."

You trigger your radio. "Ken, is the roof clear?"

"All set," crackles Ken's voice at your shoulder.

You nod to Nick. "Okay, fire in the hole," he says, and triggers the device. A heavy-duty grappling hook fires into the air, trailing a thick rope. 25 stories up, you can just barely hear the hook lodge.

"Looks good," says Ken through the radio. "I'll keep an eye on the hook."

Nick looks up at the climb. "Tell me again why I agreed to this?"

"Because you like money," you say. "Masks on. Set up your winches. Get ready. Ryuji first."

""よし, 行くよ," he says. Ryuji, you have a feeling could climb twenty-three stories of rope with his bare hands without much trouble. But he sets up the winch on his belt, and in a few seconds, is zipping his way upwards. Alex soon follows him skywards.

You and Nick watch from the ground as Ryuji ascends. Soon you can barely make out any details. You ask Ken, "How are they doing up there?"

"Good," replies Ken. "He's cutting the glass now. Alex is placing the holders. He's handing her the sheet of glass now. And ... good. Okay. The window is ready. They're heading inside. The rope is clear. Go now."

"Oh geez," says Nick, attaching himself to the rope. "Why didn't we just rob a fucking bank--" He starts to wind his way up. "Fuck my life ..."

You give him some time, then rig yourself to the rope. Okay. No chickening out now. This is it.

You feel ...

>Excited
>Scared
>Bloodthirsty

>>914996
>Focused

>>914996
>Bloodthirsty
Someone's gonna fuck up and this is gonna go loud. I can feel it in my DICK.

>>914996
>>Excited
This is the shit we are good at. The shit we live for.

>>914996
>Exited

You feel all sorts of things, but mostly excited. This is the shit you live for. When everything comes down to the wire, and your blood is pumping, and a man's own skills and fists are all that stand between life and death. Yes. This is it.

You ascend on the winch into the night sky, watching the neon lights of the city come into view. You feel like some sort of angel or demon, ascending into another realm.

Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpsdtJQ_2eU

You struggle through the circular hole in the window, just barely big enough to fit you and your weapons. Detatching yourself from the rope, you join your comrades in the shadowed office.

Ryuji has a phone unplugged and is installing Zero's device. It's literally a red box, about the size and shape of a lunchbox, with wiring sticking out. "終わった," he says, stepping back.

"Okay, I can see you," Zero's voice says quietly over the radio. "A guard patrol just passed by your door. Now's a good time."

Alex is posted up at the door, looking out the small window. She catches your eye, points at the door, holds up three fingers. Three guards, you assume she means. You join her at the door.

"Stairs to the left and right, boss," she says quietly, her voice muffled by the gas mask. "I'll follow your lead." She looks out the window again, then opens the door slowly with one hand, keeping her gun levelled with the other. Satisfied, she opens the door all the way and gets ready to follow you.

You quietly move ...

>Into the offices to your left
>Straight down the hallway
>Into the private rooms to your right

>>915024
>Into the offices to your left

Memories of Armacham Technologies come flooding back...

Keep an eye out for invisible ninjas with rictus grins, guys.

>>915024
>Into the private rooms to your right
Whatever we need to do next is probably gonna be in the boss's room.

>>915024
>Into the private rooms to your right
Be ready for anything. ANYTHING.

You move down the hallways to the right. Your three companions follow you, their weapons ready. This section of the twenty-third floor holds the private rooms. The walls are adorned with paintings of rivers running down mountains, scrolls of Chinese characters. One hallway has a long tapestry of intertwining dragons among clouds.

The four of you pass by several doors. A few times you hear faint noises from behind them, like someone watching television. Other than that, the only sounds are your footsteps, and the thumping of your heartbeat.

No guards present themselves. You're just thinking maybe you'll get through this section without incident when-

A nearby door is pulled open. You and the others wheel to turn your weapons, but there's nobody there, until you look down and realize that it's a child. Maybe six years old. She starts to run out the door, giggling, totally oblivious to your presence, before she's grabbed from behind by an older girl, maybe twenty. She speaks in Chinese, exchanging harsh words in a hushed tone with the complaining younger girl-

Until they notice you. Four people in black clothes and gas masks. The two girls freeze in place like rabbits.

>Kill them quietly
>Tie them up
>Warn them
>Ignore them

>>915077
>Warn them
Not really into shooting kids.

>>915077
>Tie them up
The 20 year old could be some high ranker's trophy wife. I'm not into bondage, I'm into fucking practicality.

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>>915032
>>915055
Were you expecting someone else?

"Should we tie them up?" whispers Nick urgently.

"The kid might cause a scene," says Alex. "Just warn them."

You point emphatically at the two of them. Then raise a finger to the mouthpiece of your gas mask.

The older girl is holding her hands over the mouth of the little girl. They both look terrified, but seem to understand the situation.

You make an "away with you" gesture to the two of them. The older girl pulls the child back into the room, closes the door. You hear the click of a lock. You wait a few seconds for some kind of outcry.

Nothing.

Okay. Looks like they got the message.

"Jesus," says Nick. "I knew people lived here, but I didn't think - you know -"

"Let's just be glad it didn't come to that," you say. "Let's keep going."

The four of you continue down the shadowed hallway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzyBsdAkFBM

Wrapping up for tonight folks. I'll get in a few updates tomorrow. Thanks for playing Thug Quest.

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Intermittent updates today.

The hallway exits into a wide open lounge area. Low couches, glass tables, fake plants. A long well-stocked bar, lit up in neon under-lighting is against the far wall.

Two burly Chinese men are leaning against the bar, discussing something in their language. The stairs to the twenty-fourth floor are behind them. No way around with stepping into their field of view.

You crouch in concealment behind a fake potted plant and watch. You can see from the way their coats hang to one aide that they're armed. One of the guards is fixing himself a drink. The other lights himself a cigarette. They speak casually in Chinese.

They don't look like they're going anywhere soon. You're going to have to deal with them somehow.

Roll a d10 and decide:

>Shoot one with your crossbow.
>Use a tear gas grenade.
>Go aggro, get up close and personal.
>Create a distraction, sneak by.
>Something else.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>916133
>Create a distraction, sneak by.
This is a stealth mission. If these guys have to check in or something, killing them will make it obvious someone's in the building. If we distract them and make it look like a noise caused by a resident, our cover will stay perfectly intact.

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>916133
Crossbow one of them, then rush the other with the utility knife.

>>916178
Goddamn it all.

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>>916178
Welp, time for...

>>916181
.. Fucking madness, apparently.

>>916189
You're goddamn right I'm mad. Just not in the crazy sense.

>>916178
>>916181

Now I remember why rolls should happen after the votes. "I know that option got a 10, but I'm still voting for the option that got 1," said no one ever.

I'll be a nice guy (for now) and even it out in your favor.

You think that you should create a distraction and sneak by. "Hand me one of your spare magazines," you whisper to Alex. You take the magazine and toss it through the air into the lounge area, hoping the clattering noise will attract the guards' attention. It does.
Unfortunately, they also clearly saw a small object fly out from behind that potted plant.

"这是谁?!" one of them asks the other. They both pull handguns from their belts, suspicious. One of them moves toward you to investigate.

Fuck it, you think. Peering through the leaves of the fake plant, you ready the crossbow, doing your best to aim with an antique mechanical weapon, and pull the trigger. The bow lets out a satisfying thump as the bolt is hurled forward. It catches the guard still at the bar in the forehead. He staggers, then falls, knocking over some bottles on the back wall and shattering them on the ground.

The front guard has turned around to gawp at the metal bolt suddenly embedded in his friend's forehead. You take the opportunity to move out from behind the plant, cover the distance in a short rush, and grab him. You spin him around, clamp your hand over his mouth with your free hand, and pull out your knife with the other. You make it quick and clean.

Your companions move into the room. "Nice work," says Alex. "Almost like a professional. Nick, help me drag these guys behind the bar."

"Most professionals probably don't use medieval weapons these days," you say. You take a moment to set another bolt in the bow and crank the machinery, like Edna showed you. "It worked just like I hoped, though."

The nearby stairs lead up to the twenty-fourth floor, where the vault is. There's also a nearby hallway with more private rooms. You can hear music faintly from one of them.

>Send Ryuji to scout the 24th floor.
>Send Ryuji to scout the rest of the 23rd floor.
>Go scouting yourself.
>Investigate the room with music playing.
>Move upstairs as a group.
>Something else.

>>916852
>Send Ryuji to scout the rest of the 23rd floor.

Let's have the ninja do what he does best. We don't need any more surprises tonight.

>>916852
>Send Ryuji to scout the rest of the 23rd floor.
I second this motion. We have all the time we need to get up to the top; we don't need to leave stones unturned at the bottom for opposition to crawl out from under,

>>916852
These two guys know what's up
>>916880
>>916896

"Ryuji. Can you scout this floor? Let's not leave any stones unturned." You're still not sure how much English he knows, so you point to him, make a circle motion with that finger to try and indicate "this floor", then point down.

He nods. "Okay. I check." He heads the lounge exit to your left, leading into the large main room. He looks around carefully, then heads off into the main hall, vanishing in the shadows.

Alex and Nick are dragging the two corpses behind the bar. "Try not to smear too much blood on the ground," advises Alex.

"This isn't my sort of thing, all right?" complains Nick. "I prefer not to have blood on my hands. Literally or figuratively. Now I've got both."

You press yourself against the wall near the hallway to the right, watching the door where you can hear the music. You've got a bad feeling about it. Turns out you were right.

Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaEOfSxi6jI

The door swings open. From inside you see colorful lights like a disco ball makes, and hear a terrible singer on a microphone, belting out some kind of Chinese anthem. Must be one of those new Japanese singing boxes you heard about, karaoke or something.

A young Chinese man in an undershirt, carrying a bottle, stinking of alcohol, stumbles his way out the door. He leaves the door open and begins to weave in an S-curve down the hallway towards you, still singing along with the song in a drunken slur.

>Kill him.
>Interrogate him.
>Hide.
>Something else.

>>917454
>Hide.
Interrogating him will just leave you open for others to find us, especially without a secured room we can fall back to

>>917454
>>Hide.

We can always pour more booze down his throat and leave him a blacked out mess.

>>917454
>Hide.
If he's not waving a gun at us or telling anyone we're here, he's fine.

>>917454
>Hide
Seems like it's best to stealth this one out as much as possible. We've already got a body count, best not to increase it any more than we have to.

You decide to hide and stay quiet. You catch Alex's eye and motion "down". She and Nick hide behind the bar. You take cover behind a couch.

You hear the young man stumble into the room, still singing in slurred Chinese. He wobbles up to a plant pot. You hear a fly unzipping. Then you hear him start to piss in the pot. He grunts in relief, the universal language of men unleashing a mighty piss.

You wait a few moments, trying to ignore the smell. It takes the man some time to unload. He must have been drinking a lot. But eventually he steps back, zips himself back up, and heads back to the party. He shouts at the people inside as he goes back in, and slams the door behind him. The music is muffled once again.

Alex peeks her head out from behind the bar. You give her the O.K. sign. She steps out. "Good thing he left," she says, muffled by her mask. "Already crowded behind that bar."

The radio at your shoulder crackles. "Johnny," says Ken's voice. "We have a small problem. Two men on the roof. They've found the grappling hook. They are discussing it now. What do you want me to do?"

>Take them out with your rifle.
>Let them do what they want. Get the chopper ready.
>Something else.

>>917816
Assuming Ken's rifle is somehow suppressed...
>Take them out with your rifle.
Otherwise...
>Let them do what they want. Get the chopper ready.

>>917862
This works. Supporting.

>>917816
supporting >>917862
as well