Killing in the Name

Key takeaways

Keep these points in mind before starting the investigation.

• Follow the router trail The mission advances by locating and accessing network routers in the marked areas. If the objective does not update, look for the nearby device rather than assuming that every enemy or access point must be cleared.
• Exploration matters more than combat Killing in the Name is not structured like a conventional assault mission. Scan the environment, use the objective marker and check elevated or peripheral positions when the router is not immediately visible.
• Save before the finale The closing conversation allows different approaches to the Swedenborg-Riviera situation. A manual save before the final decision is the safest way to compare the available outcomes.
• Nancy receives the conclusion The investigation ultimately returns to Nancy, who wants to know what V discovered. The final report can be handled in more than one way, and the resulting conversation changes accordingly.

Killing in the Name

Killing in the Name is an investigation-focused side mission in Cyberpunk 2077. It sends V to trace a chain of compromised routers connected to the Bartmoss Collective and the mysterious Swedenborg-Riviera.

The mission begins when Nancy contacts V about a strange lead involving the Bartmoss Collective. Rather than following a conventional combat objective, V must inspect network hardware at several locations and connect to it. The investigation gradually reveals that the apparently supernatural messages circulating online have a more technological explanation.

The mission is built around travel, observation, hacking and conversation. The routers are placed in different parts of Night City, so the objective markers are more useful than a single linear route. Some locations are surrounded by ordinary city activity or hostile forces, but the central task at each stop is to find the correct device and access it rather than clear every nearby enemy.

The final section asks V to decide what to do with the truth behind the Swedenborg-Riviera messages. The consequences are primarily narrative and affect the mission's conclusion and later conversation with Nancy, so players who want to see every version should create a save before the final interaction. This page avoids presenting uncertain reward values or unverified numerical requirements.

Where this sits

Requirements

Complete the relevant prerequisite content and be prepared to travel between several marked locations in Night City.

• RequiredComplete Second ConflictNancy's investigation becomes available after the required preceding mission content is complete.
• RecommendedBe ready to travelThe mission sends V between multiple areas rather than keeping the entire objective in one compact arena.
• RecommendedBring a capable scanning or hacking setupThe core interactions involve finding and accessing routers. Combat equipment is useful for nearby threats but is not the mission's defining requirement.
• OptionalCreate a manual save before the final decisionThis preserves the option to inspect the mission's different concluding conversations without replaying the investigation.

Objectives

1. Read the Bartmoss Collective leadReview the information Nancy directs V toward so the investigation can begin.
2. Locate the marked routersSearch each objective area for the router connected to the signal and access it to advance the mission.
3. Follow the Swedenborg-Riviera trailUse the network evidence and updated objectives to identify where the investigation is heading.
4. Resolve the final encounter with the signalDecide how V will respond once the source of the messages becomes clear.
5. Tell Nancy what happenedContact Nancy after the investigation and select how much of the truth to reveal.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Begin the investigation.

   Read Nancy's message and open the Bartmoss Collective lead

   After Nancy contacts V, open the relevant message or mission entry and read the information about the Bartmoss Collective. This establishes the investigation and places the first search area on the map; do not leave the message unread if the objective appears not to advance.

   TipUse the journal to set Killing in the Name as the tracked mission before travelling.

2. 02

   Find the router.

   Travel to the first marked router

   Follow the mission marker to the first investigation area and search the surroundings rather than attacking every nearby NPC. The router is an environmental object, so scan around buildings, equipment and access points when the marker appears to cover a broad zone.

   Location: First marked investigation area

   Watch outThe mission can appear stalled if V searches only for enemies or loot and does not inspect the network hardware.

3. 03

   Access the first router.

   Connect to the router

   Interact with the router once it has been located and complete the available hacking interaction. Wait for the objective to update before moving on; the next search area is established by the information obtained from the connection.

   Checkpoint
4. 04

   Continue tracing the signal.

   Follow the updated marker to the next signal

   Use the new objective marker to travel to the next part of Night City. Check the immediate surroundings and nearby vertical space if the router is not visible from street level, because the investigation locations do not all present the device in the same way.

   TipScanning while moving through the marked zone is faster than searching every room manually.

5. 05

   Access the second router.

   Inspect and access the second router

   Locate the second router in the marked area and connect to it. Nearby combat may be avoidable depending on the route and local hostility, so focus on reaching the device and leave the area once the mission confirms the interaction.

   Checkpoint
6. 06

   Trace the next transmission.

   Reach the next marked investigation site

   Continue through the route shown in the journal and map. The mission is intentionally spread across different districts, and the objective marker is the reliable guide for the order; do not assume that a nearby unrelated access point is part of the quest.

   Location: Next marked investigation area

7. 07

   Access the third router.

   Find the third router and read the new information

   Search the objective zone for another router, using scanning to distinguish the mission device from ordinary network equipment. Connect to it and allow the dialogue or objective update to finish before fast travelling or pursuing another activity.

   Checkpoint
8. 08

   Locate the final link in the chain.

   Investigate the final signal

   Travel to the last marked location and examine the area for the next router or connected device. The final site leads V closer to the identity behind the Swedenborg-Riviera messages, so follow the mission prompts instead of treating the scene as a standard loot stop.

   Location: Final marked investigation area

9. 09

   Uncover the source of the messages.

   Connect to the final router

   Access the final router to reveal the explanation behind the trail of messages. This is the point at which the mission shifts from device-to-device investigation into a narrative decision, so make a manual save if you want to compare outcomes.

   Watch outThe concluding choice affects the tone and content of the aftermath conversation.

   Checkpoint
10. 10

    Resolve the Swedenborg-Riviera situation.

    Decide how V will handle Swedenborg-Riviera

    Review the available dialogue and hacking responses, then choose whether V exposes, challenges or leaves the situation alone. The exact options can depend on the available interaction, so read the prompts carefully rather than selecting through the conversation.

11. 11

    Tell Nancy what happened.

    Contact Nancy and report the result

    Use the phone prompt to call Nancy once the final interaction is complete. Explain what V discovered or choose to withhold the full truth, then let the conversation finish so the mission can register its conclusion.

    Missable
12. 12

    Complete Killing in the Name.

    Collect the mission reward and close the journal entry

    After Nancy's response, confirm that the mission objective has cleared and collect any reward granted by the game. If the journal does not update immediately, leave the conversation area and check the phone or journal again before replaying earlier steps.

Mission mechanics

Killing in the Name uses investigation markers rather than a traditional sequence of combat arenas. Each router is a physical object placed inside a search area, and V generally advances by locating it and initiating the relevant interaction. Scanning is useful because it can identify interactable technology before V reaches it, while the journal clarifies which marked zone should be searched next.

The route is not necessarily a straight walk between adjacent objectives. V can use vehicles, fast travel and normal traversal to move between the marked districts, but the mission still expects the player to arrive at each area and inspect the local environment. Nearby enemies are not automatically the objective, and clearing them is usually separate from completing the router interaction.

The final interaction is different from the earlier searches because it turns the technical investigation into a question of disclosure. Make the decision only after reading the available dialogue, then call Nancy and allow the follow-up conversation to complete. A save before the final router is the most practical way to preserve the alternate conclusion.

What works and what does not

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Expose the truth about Swedenborg-Riviera to Nancy

  Nancy's follow-up conversation acknowledges V's explanation, making the conclusion more direct and investigative in tone.

  Spoiler
• Withhold or soften the truth when reporting to Nancy

  The mission closes with a different conversation and preserves more ambiguity around the messages and their source.

  Spoiler
• Use the available final interaction to challenge the source before reporting back

  The resolution changes according to the response selected at the final router, so the aftermath is not identical across playthroughs.

  Spoiler

Checklist

• Complete Second Conflict before looking for the mission contactThe investigation is tied to Nancy's available mission content.
• Track Killing in the Name in the journalThe objective marker is important because the routers are spread across Night City.
• Read the Bartmoss Collective informationThis starts the router investigation.
• Scan each marked area for the mission routerDo not assume that nearby enemies or unrelated terminals are required.
• Let every router interaction finish before travellingThe next objective may not appear until the connection or dialogue has completed.
• Create a manual save before the final routerThis is recommended if you want to inspect alternate outcomes.Optional
• Complete the final Swedenborg-Riviera interactionThe mission does not conclude at the first discovery.
• Call Nancy and finish the reportAllow the conversation to end so the journal can register completion.
• Check the journal for the completed missionConfirm the reward and conclusion have been recorded.

Failure conditions

• Failing to locate the routerThe objective area may contain distractions or nearby hostile activity. Search the marked zone with scanning and inspect the surrounding structures instead of assuming the mission requires a fight.
• Leaving before the interaction updatesTravelling away immediately after reaching a router can leave the objective unresolved. Wait for the connection, dialogue and objective update to finish.
• Rushing through the final decisionSelecting a final response without a save can prevent an easy comparison of the mission's alternate conclusions.
• Ending the phone conversation too earlyNancy's report is part of the mission's closing sequence. Remain in the conversation until the objective clears.

Rewards

• Mission completion reward
  Completing the investigation grants the reward associated with the side mission.
• Experience
  V receives experience for advancing and completing the mission.
• Narrative outcome
  The final report determines which version of the aftermath conversation V sees.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

• Johnny SilverhandV's companion and commentator during the investigation.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• The mission's title references a song by The Police, continuing Cyberpunk 2077's use of music-related names and cultural references.
• Killing in the Name is notable for treating a network investigation as a multi-location side mission instead of presenting the player with a single dungeon-like area.
• The mission's central mystery deliberately blurs the boundary between an online conspiracy, automated messages and a personality operating through the network.

Relationships