Cyberpunk: Starting in 2071

Chapter 72 Press Conference
With her exclamation, Qiwei and Pila also showed somewhat strange expressions.

Only Rebecca finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter: "It must be him, who else could it be?"

V stared at Mercer for a while, then suddenly reached out, placed his fingers on Mercer's face, and pinched it hard.

"Damn it, that hurts! What the hell are you doing!" Mercer quickly stepped back, covering his face and glaring at her with a grimace.

"Holy crap! You're serious? You really look like that?"

V was stunned.

Mercer chuckled and looked at V, who was staring at him dumbly: "Dude, you know you're handsome, but you don't have to react this strongly."

"A, you're still a kid?!" V nearly jumped up, his face full of disbelief: "Are you fucking kidding me?"

“Use the program I sent you, scan yourself with your prosthetic eye. I’m a legitimate eighteen-year-old citizen of Night City,” Mercer said.

"Bullshit! If you were eighteen, I'd eat the whole table!" V angrily slapped Rebecca's thigh next to her.

Rebecca nearly jumped up when she was slapped: "Damn it! What are you doing! That hurts!"

"Did you already know? Were you teasing me with him? And you even made me call him Brother A?" V glared at the two of them, both embarrassed and annoyed. Only now did she realize why Rebecca would sometimes look at her and chuckle.

How could she not be happy? She'd only ever recognized this kid as her boss!
But wouldn't people laugh themselves to death if they told others?

V thought back to when he went to the Wild Wolf Bar and said he wanted to hang out with A, and Jack gave him that knowing look.
"Fine, so I'm the only one who doesn't know what you look like?" V seemed genuinely angry.

“Pira and Qiwei have never met either,” Mercer said casually.

"Fine! You bastard, you're having a good time lying to me, aren't you?" She glared angrily at Mercer.

Mercer simply shrugged: "What did I lie to you about?"

“You said you’re about my age!” V actually felt a little wronged: “So how old are you exactly? Fifteen?”

"Eighteen," Mercer said firmly. "I'll be nineteen after my birthday this year."

"Get lost! If you're eighteen, then Rebecca is thirty this year!" V said angrily.

Rebecca said with a grin, "Isn't this great? Look, V, don't we look like a perfect match?"

“Indeed.” V was so angry he laughed, and said sarcastically, “Kids should stay with kids.”

"Mmm-hmm! Old lady~ Don't say he's a pervert who likes little girls anymore~" Rebecca replied with a smile.

V glared at her through gritted teeth, while Rebecca was happily munching on chicken wings, completely oblivious to V's intimidating stare.

Finally, the youngest, Kyoko, said with a smile, "Actually, we're not that far apart in age."

Even if we consider their actual ages, Mercer and V are only three or four years apart, which isn't a huge difference.

V glanced at Apricot, and finally just picked up a tortilla with a fierce look: "Fine! Really fine!"

She ate while trying to avoid looking at Mercer, but how could she resist?
The result was that after eating a few bites, he couldn't help but glance at him, then angrily took a few more bites, and glanced at him again—this scene amused even Lucy, who couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Pila laughed and stepped forward at this moment, saying casually, "I don't think it's a big deal. In the hacking industry, the more talented the hacker, the earlier they debut. Isn't that a good thing?"

“He’s already this good now, won’t he be even better in a few years? Hey, if you ask me, you should follow a boss who has a promising future.” Pila said, flattering Mercer while winking and making funny faces.

He rubbed his hands together, beaming at Mercer, and said, "A, for men, looking young is nothing. How about this, next time we go to the Ritz together, you treat me to a good time, and I'll help you become a real woman."

"Go to hell!" Rebecca glared fiercely and threw a chicken leg bone from her hand.

The chicken leg bone that flew through the air hit Pila, making him fall backward. When he came to his senses, he touched his head, still shaken, and worried that the chicken bone had grown into his skull: "Damn, am I still alive?"

"Mmm." Qi Wei nodded slightly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, as she sipped the beef broth.

"If you dare to corrupt Mercer, I'll kill you, you bastard!" Rebecca said, her face full of displeasure.

Mercer said seriously, "I just don't understand, what's so interesting about going to Liz to see Mewtwo?"

"A likes to watch secretly from his room."

Lucy, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. Upon hearing this, V and the others were stunned for a moment, and then they all burst into laughter.

Mercer glared at Lucy speechlessly, but she just gave him a mischievous smile.

The atmosphere at the dinner party became exceptionally lively. Even Mercer drank two bottles of beer with everyone in this atmosphere. After the meal, those who hadn't participated in cooking took the initiative to clean up the kitchen.

Once everyone was gathered on the sofa in the living room, some sitting and some lying down, Mercer coughed and said, "You haven't forgotten that I said I had a surprise for everyone, have you?"

"Tell me, tell me! I can't wait any longer!" Rebecca leaned lazily against the sofa, patting her round little belly, looking completely satisfied.

"Okay, then follow me."

Mercer checked the time, then led everyone back to the first floor via the elevator and walked to their front door.

The group of people accompanied him as he looked left and right at the door, but apart from a few homeless men idling nearby, they saw nothing.

"What are we waiting for?" Rebecca asked, a little impatient.

Mercer, however, simply smiled and looked up into the distance until a small dot appeared in the sky and approached.

V's prosthetic eye had an even higher magnification for long distances than Mercer's. She looked into the distance, squinting, and after a few seconds exclaimed in surprise, "The Trauma Team!?"

"Yes, this is my gift to everyone." Mercer smiled and revealed the mystery.

In the distance, a trauma team's hovercraft was heading straight for their location with a clear objective.

Judging from the speed, the hovercraft was practically flooring the accelerator—it must have been going over 200 kilometers per hour, which is quite fast for such a heavy hovercraft.

From the moment the trauma team spotted their hovercar, it took just over a minute for them to rush up to it. The car slowly slowed down and descended, first projecting a red dotted frame on the ground as a stopping warning line.

After the hovercar landed at the location marked by the projection, a red indicator box was projected in front of the car door, indicating the location for the crew to disembark. Only then did the car door open.

A man in a suit stepped out of the car with a smile on his face, accompanied by four trauma team members who looked ready to go, wearing thick bulletproof vests and helmets and carrying Comtau smart weapons.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mercer. I’m the senior business manager of the trauma team. You can call me Taylor.”

Taylor was a typical middle-aged white elite, dressed in a suit with a slicked-back hairstyle, deep-set features, and a prosthetic eye that gleamed with a faint green light.

“I have already made an appointment online, and according to the appointment information, I plan to apply for a platinum membership for myself and my friends.”

Mercer came out without a mask, and after Taylor scanned his face with his prosthetic eye, confirming his online appointment in just a few seconds, he immediately smiled brightly at Mercer and said:

"Your online application for qualification review has been approved. Congratulations! You meet our requirements for Platinum Membership."

But if I'm not mistaken, you and your team are all fringe professionals?

Taylor observed the clothing and style of the people around Mercer and made a judgment almost effortlessly.

Mercer nodded: "More or less."

"I understand. But I must inform you of something in advance: for high-risk professions like yours, the insurance premiums required are higher than for ordinary people."

Taylor apologized and added beforehand, "I suggest you read our 'Additional Fees List' in advance to avoid unnecessary payment disputes during the service."

For professions like yours, although the initial insurance premium is charged according to the standard 'high-risk occupation insurance' terms, we may increase your monthly premium at any time depending on the number of claims and the specific circumstances at the time of the claim.

"Understood. If something happens, it's good if I can get there in three minutes to save someone's life," Mercer said.

V, standing to the side, was a little curious. She genuinely didn't understand the purpose of this platinum membership. How many people on the street would choose to pay for insurance, let alone such high-end medical insurance?

So V simply asked, "What can you do with this platinum membership, and how much does it cost per month?"

Taylor smiled and looked at V, saying, "Generally speaking, our memberships are divided into three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum."

The Platinum membership you are about to purchase is the highest-level membership we offer to the public.

Although expensive, it includes 24-hour monitoring of the insured's health, emergency patient transport services, surgery and nanosurgery, trauma rehabilitation, plastic surgery, free prosthetic examinations, and discounts of up to 90% on prescription drugs.

When medical assistance is triggered, fuel and ammunition costs are waived.

Most importantly, it guarantees delivery within three minutes within the city limits and within five minutes to nearby suburbs, with full compensation for any breach of contract.

For mercenaries where time is of the essence, this is an absolutely crucial point that you cannot afford to overlook.

We will also take you directly to a top-tier hospital within the trauma team, or any clinic of your choice, and automatically arrange for you to have fast-track VIP surgery access free of charge, ensuring you don't have to worry about any related matters.

However, please note that if both sides in the battle have Platinum Team members, the Trauma Team will not attack its own colleagues; it will only provide services to targets in need of rescue.

After saying that, Taylor confidently pointed to the hovercar behind him and said, "As you can see, every emergency rescue hovercar in our company is equipped with two vehicle-mounted rotary heavy machine guns that can be operated by the driver."

In addition to the driver, our crew also included two heavy machine gunners, a professional emergency medical personnel, and an elite assault soldier.

Every member of the crew is equipped with Contau's latest smart submachine gun; wherever you are, we will do everything in our power to get you out of danger.

This series of services left everyone except Mercer somewhat speechless.

"So, you mean if we get shot and need a doctor, you'll drive this thing to get us to the hospital in three minutes?"

Pila approached the hovercar, looking left and right. Several trauma team members stood motionless until he looked into the car, at which point they reached out to stop him, but their attitude remained quite polite.

"Yes, our medical staff will also provide first aid in the vehicle and even perform emergency surgery if necessary, until you are taken to the hospital and handed over to the doctors—we will guarantee to escort you until you enter the emergency room."

Taylor paused, then said with a smile, "As for the price, because of the professions of you gentlemen and ladies, we must charge according to the standards for high-risk professions. The specific price is ten thousand euros per month."

"Ten thousand a month!?" V exclaimed in shock. "Wow, the average person only earns tens of thousands of euros a year!"

Considering that a dockworker in Night City earns only about 900 euros a month, their monthly insurance premiums are almost equivalent to the annual salary of an average worker!
Taylor simply smiled and didn't explain further. Instead, he reiterated, "For high-risk professions like yours, your premium will increase accordingly each time you file a claim, depending on the circumstances at the time of the claim."

Furthermore, your insurance policy does not include full coverage for regular personal and equipment damage, but rather a 70% reduction.

In other words, if damage to vehicles and personnel occurs while providing assistance, we will also charge the remaining 30% for equipment and personnel losses.

If you are unable to pay this fee, it will trigger the default clause. I suggest you carefully read the terms and conditions when signing the contract.

Upon hearing this, Mercer nodded and said decisively, "Let's sign a contract, paper or electronic?"

"Of course it's electronic. You just need to leave your personal vital signs information and electronic signature on the electronic contract, and then download our life monitoring program to your brain-computer interface to start enjoying our membership services."

However, the monitoring provided by the brain-computer interface is not a complete monitoring of your physical condition.

Therefore, I strongly recommend that you get a professional life monitoring prosthetic. We can provide you with the corresponding prosthetic model's monitoring program, respond to your needs at any time, and have professional medical staff monitor and maintain your health 24 hours a day.

Mercer nodded, but still couldn't help asking, "How much more expensive are the insurance premiums for those on the fringes compared to ordinary people?"

“Three times.” Taylor continued with a smile, “Please understand, ordinary people may only need this service once every three to five years, and even if they do need it, they are unlikely to encounter combat.”

As for the Edgewalker, if I may be so bold, when we decide to serve you, it means we are ready to provide you with combat support.

And when you need our services, we will absolutely ensure you feel you've received worthwhile assistance.

Mercer didn't say anything more. He picked up the tablet computer that Mercer handed him, looked at it carefully, and then said directly, "I'm getting a platinum membership for myself and all my friends. All the fees will be deducted from the same account."

"Understood, please wait a moment." Taylor operated the tablet for a while, then handed it back to Mercer.

After reviewing it once more, Mercer promptly wrote down his name and registered his biometrics online.

“You all come and sign your names, and log in your biometric information,” Mercer said.

V was the first to come over. Somewhat awkwardly, she wrote her full name on the tablet and then registered her information.

The others followed suit and completed their information registration.

Mercer paid the premium under Taylor's attentive gaze.

After confirming that the Euros had arrived, Taylor smiled broadly and nodded respectfully to him, saying, "Dear Platinum Member, welcome to the Trauma Group. From now on, the Trauma Group will serve you wholeheartedly."

I will then send you the relevant biometric monitoring software via email. If you plan to purchase and install a better biometric monitoring prosthetic, I highly recommend that you use the biometric monitoring accessories developed by the Trauma Team.

This will allow us to better serve you and provide you with timely medical assistance.” Mercer simply nodded: “Understood, you can go.”

“Okay, it’s a pleasure to serve you.” Taylor bowed slightly, then returned to the hovercar with the trauma team.

Watching the trauma team's hovercar take off and leave, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment: "That's it?"

"I'll take a look at their biomonitoring software later and modify it a bit for you, at least to block out the part that collects user information."

Once you've installed the program into the brain-computer interface and completed the Platinum Membership verification, the service will be activated.

Mercer briefly explained the service process.

Rebecca, however, suddenly said with a hint of heartache, "I say, Mercer, is it really necessary? Buying it for everyone, even if it's just for the few of us, would still cost 70,000 euros a month!"

Kyoko hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mercury, I think I..."

"Alright, I do hope this money is just going down the drain, but if there really is a risk, believe me, this thing will definitely make you feel like it's worth every penny."

Mercer, however, was determined not to change his mind.

Once you become a Platinum member of the Trauma Group, your teammates will almost never die from injuries outside unless they encounter an instant-death attack.

Given the cybernetic technology in the cyber world, even if you are cut in half at the waist, as long as the other party arrives before your brain is completely dead, you have a very high chance of surviving.

Furthermore, given current scientific technology, it is even possible to bring someone back to life after emergency treatment, provided that brain death has not lasted long.

As for the price...
Mercer could accept this – tens of thousands of euros a month would be a huge sum for ordinary people, but for a team like theirs that had gone beyond a simple 'Fringe Walker' squad, it was still within acceptable limits.

More than considering monthly expenses, Mercer's bigger problem is actually how to generate revenue.

If you don't have enough money, it must be because you're not earning enough.

"Alright, the surprise is over. Everyone can go back and rest now. I think, given the commotion we've caused, it won't be long before Mr. Hans comes to give us some work to do."

"He who takes a bribe is bound to be obligated to do his job well. They've provided us with accommodation and all sorts of conveniences, so we have to do a good job in return. You all need to get back into the swing of things these next few days; the work we have to do is definitely more than before."

As Mercer led everyone into the warehouse, he gave them instructions on what to do next: "First, Pila, Lucy, Qiwei, and Xingzi."

Pira's task is to provide me with a catalog of suitable weapons and equipment. We need to produce some suitable equipment and weapons as soon as possible and put them up for sale in the shop.

The only requirement for this part of the equipment is that it be sturdy and durable.

We need to create a batch of products that meet the aesthetic needs of street thugs, are inexpensive, easy to ship, but of high quality, to capture the low-to-mid-range weapons market in Dogtown.

The quality of goods on the black market varies greatly. If we can provide a stable supply of high-quality, inexpensive weapons and equipment to Dogtown, I believe we can quickly build a reputation for our shop.

After Mercer finished speaking, he paused and said, "Don't worry about the other forces in Dogtown. At least in terms of weaponry, whether it's gang members, ordinary citizens, or even the Ghost Hounds, they all lack stable, reliable, and cheap firepower."

Dogtown prohibits the large-scale sale of weapons from outside, but we have no problem selling weapons within Dogtown, including selling weapons out of the town.

Pila nodded, somewhat excitedly saying, "No problem, I know exactly how to mess with those cheap stuff."

"You can send me a report on what equipment you need, how much it will cost, including raw materials. We will use team funds to do it, and the manufacturers and developers will receive a share of the profits from the sales."

After Mercer finished speaking, he paused, then turned to look at the hackers beside him.

"Next up are things like weapon chips and program chips. I've already bought a batch of related equipment. You can try them out and see if they work. If there's any demand, we can continue to purchase more."

The goal is singular: to create something better than the Dogtown Voodoo Gang's and steal their market share.

As Mercer finished speaking, Qiwei asked with some concern, "What if the Voodoo Gang comes looking for trouble?"

"They should be worried that I'll cause them trouble. Don't be afraid. If they have any objections, I'll make them back down. Peace and harmony bring wealth. But before that, we have to ensure our products are competitive."

Mercer wasn't too worried about this. If he didn't want to give them an opportunity to hone their skills and earn some money to support themselves, he could have single-handedly crushed the programmable chip market.

Mercer didn't think anyone in Night City could surpass him in this area of ​​technology. He could write a dozen or so code-breaking programs in an hour. The real trouble was writing the program into the chip and assembling the chip.

“If our business can expand, then I would like to hand over a large part of the assembly work to Adcardo’s people.”

Mercer said, "With the current level of technology, hand-crafting chips is actually more of a physical job. We'll accumulate some experience and technology through this work first."

Next, we need to move our core products to the high-end segment.

Mercer explained simply: "In addition to that, we will also be taking on some program upgrades, weapon and equipment customization, software customization and the like. In short, everyone should be prepared to get busy."

Things need to be done step by step. First, make sure everyone has something to do and can earn money, and then adjust accordingly.

In the cyberpunk world, there aren't many businesses left for the lower classes to make money. Mercer believes that if he really wants to make big money, he has to do it himself. Others are at most helping him with his labor, not solving his problems.

The group entered the elevator, and V nudged Moser with her elbow, asking, "What about me? What are you going to do, sis?"

"Let's continue with the commissions. It takes time to make a profit from these businesses. To build equipment and research technology, we need to make a large initial investment. In the end, we still have to save up this money little by little as mercenaries."

Whether we run a business or conduct research, it's all so that we won't have to work ourselves to the bone to earn money for others in the future.

But for now, let's focus on figuring out how to become true legendary mercenaries in this city.

After Mercer finished speaking, V finally smiled and said, "No problem, I've already made an appointment with Old V. We'll go and install the Mantis Blade in the next few days."

"Okay, but now, do you guys want to make a little money?"

Mercer revealed a mysterious smile, and V, looking at Mercer who was no longer wearing a mask and had such a youthful face making such an expression, suddenly felt a little awkward all over for some reason.

"How so?" Pila asked, quite intrigued.

"Give me all your savings. Tomorrow night, we're going to make a killing on biotech stocks."

Mercer chuckled and raised his phone: "Leveraged short selling. This time, buddy, I'm definitely going to skin them alive by taking a cut off their biotech stock prices."

January 17, 2072, 7:30 PM.

After a classic Channel 54 news animation, a beautiful blonde woman in a formal suit appeared on the television screen with a serious expression.

"Hello everyone, I'm Julian Jordan, the host of News 54. Welcome to News 54, today's news."

The female host, with a serious expression, said to the screen: "At 7:20 tonight, we received some heartbreaking news."

The Night City Biosafety Management Committee officially disclosed a heinous poisoning case on its official website.

Dr. Joanna Koch, then the regional vice president of technology and development at a biotechnology company, released biological toxins into the water sources of the Yucca town and the Red Ochre tribe in the Badlands in order to test and research drugs.

This action is a serious violation of Night City's corporate law and has caused extremely negative consequences.

Inside the underground base of 'House of the Spark', everyone sat on the sofa, intently watching the news.

Even Pila, who is usually the most unreliable, looked serious at this moment.

At this moment, on the television screen, the host briefly and directly summarized the evil deeds that biotechnology had committed in Yucca Town and the Red Ochre Tribe.

Then she began her relentless criticism, producing documents such as land and water quality inspection reports, and even footage of interviews with victims.

The citizens of Yucca Town held up signs that read "Give us justice" and "Biotechnology poisoning," gathered in front of the camera, and tearfully denounced the evil deeds of biotechnology.

They also filmed the Red Ochre tribe, showing a middle-aged woman, severely poisoned by water poisoning, lying dying inside her tent.

Finally, the camera returned to the live broadcast room, where the female host feigned grief for a few moments before turning her attention to the biotechnology company and issuing questions.

"To this day, Joanna, the director of the biotechnology company, has not given a direct response, but we believe that this time, they will definitely not be able to cover up the truth again!"
Next, let's connect with an expert from the Biosafety Management Committee to discuss the severe consequences of this biotechnology poisoning incident.

Just as the female host began to call on the experts, Pila, who had been very serious, suddenly widened her eyes slightly and then burst into excited laughter.

"It's finally crashed! We're going to make a fortune!"

Pila let out a wail as she watched the biotech company's stock curve plummet, her eyes practically turning into money symbols.

V excitedly picked up his phone, shouting, "What percentage can I earn from one point? Mercer, quickly check how much I've earned!"

Mercer, however, simply rested his chin on one hand and narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a moment's thought, he sent a message to Diana without hesitation.

[Question: Are you sure you can land smoothly after releasing news like this?]

[Diana: I can't go into details, but don't worry, Joanna is definitely doomed this time. But I must remind you, if you're looking to make a quick buck in the stock market, you'd better not expect the market to drop for long this time.]

[?: I'm shorting.]

[Diana: Then I recommend that you switch to the opposite buying method before the exchange closes tomorrow night.]

Mercer seemed lost in thought, while V, seeing that he remained silent, couldn't help but shake him: "Hurry up and tell your sis!"

"Five times leverage means that if the stock price drops by 20%, your principal will double. Do the math yourself."

Mercer glanced at her with a smile: "What? Don't you feel awkward looking at your buddy now?"

"Heh," V just stared at his youthful face for a moment, then awkwardly turned her head away: "I guess I'll just have to make do. I'm already following you around, what else can I do?"

"Come on, you're just afraid of boomerangs, aren't you? Alright, I'll forgive you for some of the bullshit you said earlier." Mercer rolled his eyes and elbowed her.

V has been acting strangely a lot lately—mainly because in the past she always did whatever Mercer said, but now she feels that she should be the one taking care of him more.

V rubbed his ribs and muttered, "What am I afraid of? What did I say?"

“Oh dear~ people should flirt with people around their own age~” Rebecca suddenly became sarcastic: “Don’t spend all your time exchanging glances with kids.”

"Damn it! What do you mean I'm being ambiguous?!" V glared, speaking righteously: "Everything else is fine, but this is the one thing I'm not going to take back."

Even Qiwei laughed after she finished speaking.

Because it's obvious to everyone that although V doesn't say it, he usually listens to Mercer. That kind of obedience, so different from how he talks to others, can't possibly be just a simple superior-subordinate relationship.

But V herself seems to have truly deceived herself—in her words, it's about gratitude for being recognized and camaraderie on the streets.
Okay, in this respect, Qiwei can at least share some of the same feelings.

Apart from Mercer, the others joked around, excitedly watching the stock price decline and chatting incessantly.

When the news ended, Mercer checked the stock market and found that biotechnology stocks had fallen by about 6%, which was a significant drop for a large company like biotechnology.

This is not just because of the scandal, but more importantly, because it was News 54 that broadcast the scandal.

People at the bottom of society may not understand the relationship, but investment banks and professionals must know very well that the supporters behind News 54 have always been military technology companies.

Those who keep a close eye on stocks know very well that since the beginning of the unification war, biotechnology seems to have been somewhat involved with military science. Compared to its previous absolute neutrality, biotechnology has recently shown a clear inclination towards military science.

However, just when the two companies seemed to be getting closer and closer, a biotechnology scandal was suddenly exposed in the media controlled by the military.

Or is it a scandal that occurred around Night City?
That's very intriguing.

The news even caused Arasaka's stock to inexplicably rise slightly, demonstrating the impact of this news report.

But Mercer was thinking about the deeper, more underlying issues behind this incident.

Having learned a great deal of inside information, Mercer sensed a dangerous aura emanating from Diana.

She seemed to have used this time to get too close to military technology, and the degree of this intimacy was far beyond his expectations.

This forced Mercer to start making plans early—he didn't think that having some dirt on Diana would make her obedient.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Mercer made his decision.

He needs to prepare a backup plan.

So, who should we turn to for this backup plan?
Mercer had a number of options flashing through his mind, but in the end, the image of a woman appeared before his eyes.

She is an ambitious woman.

Meredith Stott, Deputy Head of Operations at the Night City Division of Military Technology.

(End of this chapter)