The Creators: From Night City

"Other miscellaneous revenue is approximately 280 million, primarily from the purchase of drinking water for the various clans. This is sales revenue offset by credit points, so it's a steady stream of income."

Gloria placed the data tablet she was holding in front of her boss, Jiang Bing. "The rest of the additional items and expenditure items are all here. Boss, take a look."

Jiang Bing grabbed the data tablet and browsed it, while assigning the other party a new job.

"For the woman I brought here, arrange some enlightenment education for her, such as common sense and history. I will compile a translation package later. When she is better, I will temporarily arrange for her to be the acting head of the medical department."

"We don't have a medical department."

"If you add her, we'll have it."

Gloria agreed readily without asking any further questions.

Relying on the powerful speed of his brain, Jiang Bing quickly dealt with the backlog of issues and handed the data tablet back to Gloria.

In fact, there are not many things that need him to deal with. The general manager can arrange most things. Only some purchases and general directions require his supervision.

Of course, there was also Gloria's resentful request for a raise.

The number of employees at [Anti-Entropy] is increasing, but her workload has not decreased at all.

Fortunately, with her rapid growth and gradually accumulated work experience, she has been promoted to a qualified and efficient cowherd.

Jiang Bing doubled the other party's salary without hesitation, then left all these chores behind and ran to the evil land to wait for someone.

It was noon and the sun was shining directly on the Sunshine Motel.

Jiang Bing was in the store, ordered a beer, and held a data tablet, trying hard to absorb knowledge.

"You said that people have been upgraded, why not give a quantum reading?"

Jiang Bing continued to mutter about this until 42's "microphone" arrived.

Jiang Bing: Why don't you use your drone anymore?

[42: This thing is a bit sensitive, it’s best if I give it to you right here]

A chip popped out of the "microphone's" brain-computer socket.

[42: You'll never guess what I found in this guy's brain.]

Jiang Bing took the chip doubtfully and inserted it into the data board he was carrying.

42 The thing that Jiang Bing wanted to see was placed first, very obvious.

[Jiang Bing: The Sixth Street Gang is actually mixed up with the Whirlpool Gang?]

[42: Not only that, there are also military technology agents mixed in.]

[42: Look at his contact records. This person, Anthony Gilchrist, is a military-tech agent in Night City.]

Jiang Bing: This is very interesting. What are they planning to do?

[42: You'll have to ask his boss about this.]

[42: Rick Morton, the nominal boss of the Sixth Street Gang, and the amount of information they exchanged was countless.]

[42: The instructions given by the person who sent the attack on you were most likely given by him.]

Chapter 166 Mr. Blue Eyes

[Jiang Bing: Does the brain machine mention where Rick Morton is?]

[42: No, these gang leaders value their lives very much.]

[Jiang Bing: After all, I'm wearing shoes now. It's no longer the time when I fought barefoot.]

Jiang Bing sent Rick Morton's name to Gloria and asked her to find out about this person through the underworld.

Jiang Bing: Okay, that's all for now. I'll handle the rest myself.

The 'microphone' didn't waste any time and just stood up and left.

It's no big secret that the Sixth Street Gang has military technology support behind it, but the Vortex Gang, as a local gang, mixed with the Sixth Street Gang and military technology, looks like it's about to cause trouble.

So Jiang Bing waited patiently for Gloria's reply.

"Let me tell you something." The drinker next to him bent down and muttered to his companion.

"What's the matter? Tell me."

"Do you know where Johnny Silverhand was when Arasaka Tower exploded?"

"Where is it? Isn't it in Arasaka Tower?"

"No." The drunkard was already a little tongue-tied. "You'd never guess where he is."

"Where is it? Tell me quickly."

"He's everywhere, hahahaha~"

This made Jiang Bing, who had been listening with his ears perked up, hoping to hear some gossip, frown.

"That's a funny joke, don't you think it's funny?"

A voice sounded from opposite Jiang Bing, and a man with blue eyes came uninvited and sat opposite Jiang Bing.

Another 'microphone'?

"Which side are you from?"

Jiang Bing asked bluntly.

"What do you think?"

This rhetorical question is very vivid and does not have the subtle sense of alienation of "microphone".

Looking at the other person's artificial eye which was too blue, Jiang Bing had some guesses in his mind.

"From the Ye Group?" Jiang Bing pretended to be nonchalant and threw out his thoughts.

Sure enough, this move was successful and shocked the other party.

"It seems I underestimated your intelligence capabilities, Mr. Saber Lyric, whose real name I don't know."

"You're not bad either."

"Ha, you're welcome."

"I can understand why Arasaka Military Science is looking for me, but I don't think I have ever dealt with your Ye Group." Jiang Bing avoided the main point and changed the subject.

"Actually, there is," the other party retorted. "East Construction Company contracted the infrastructure work for the G146 area under the Ye Group, but with the death of Hal East, the project has been put on hold indefinitely."

"You can change people, don't hang yourself on a tree." Jiang Bing advised.

"Besides, he and I are purely enemies, and I didn't intentionally target your Ye Group. Too many people die in Night City every day, and you're really petty to come after me just for this little thing."

"You're right, aren't you?" Jiang Bing leaned forward, staring directly into the man's blue artificial eye. In a voice only the two of them could hear, he softly questioned, "Mr. Blue Eyes."

These words were like a bolt of lightning that cut through the dark night sky, finally piercing through the calm mask that the other person had worn from the very beginning. For the first time, this seemingly ordinary man showed a look of surprise on his face.

"It seems that I still underestimated your intelligence capabilities." He repeated this sentence for the second time, but his tone was already cautious enough.

"So, you really came to me specifically because of Hal East's death."

At this point, Jiang Bing suddenly realized, "By the way, how did you find me?"

"This is Night City. If the company wants to find someone, no one can escape." Mr. Blue Eyes chuckled twice.

"As for Hal East, he was just a chess piece. You eating him wasn't a big deal, but the destruction of the Terrorist Squad has made me understand you in a new way."

The blue eyes stared at Jiang Bing with an unfathomable meaning.

"The founder of the Anti-Entropy company who is unwilling to install any prosthetics."

Jiang Bing chewed on the hidden meaning in the other party's words for a long time before speaking: "What do you want by appearing here?"

"Did you know that when Richard Knight founded Night City, he actually wanted to make it an enlightened and peaceful 'beacon of capitalism'?"

Mr. Blue Eyes suddenly changed the subject to the history of Night City.

"He welcomes all friends, anyone and anything that can make tomorrow better."

"But he died in mysterious circumstances, in a suite on the top floor of the Garden Tower, which had the tightest security at the time."

"There aren't any traces of the killer left anywhere. Isn't that ridiculous?"

Jiang Bing straightened his body and listened to the other party telling these old stories that were all over the place.

"When he died, Night City died with him, but it has not yet been buried."

Mr. Blue Eyes spread his hands towards Jiang Bing and said, "These are the exact words of his wife, Miriam Knight."

Jiang Bing keenly noticed that he was wearing a simple-looking ring on his right index finger. The style was completely out of tune with the current trend and looked like an antique from the last century.

"Night City is not just the Night City of the Ye family." Jiang Bing retorted.

"Of course." Mr. Blue Eyes nodded in agreement.

“Just like a movie, a book, or a poem, once the author has completed the work, it no longer belongs only to the author, but to everyone who appreciates it.”

"But it shouldn't belong to Arasaka. Military technology." Mr. Blue Eyes chuckled twice. "After all, from the past to now, whether it's the 'Mob War' or the 'Fourth Corporate War', their performance has not been good."

Jiang Bing sneered twice in response.

"It seems you have a different opinion."

Jiang Bing tapped the table with his fingers and spoke casually.

“Capitalism, communism, democracy, oligarchy, dictatorship, public ownership, private ownership, collective ownership, individual ownership—there is nothing that has not appeared in human history.”

"You have to admit," Jiang Bing pointed at him, "that humans, the fundamental element that makes up all of this, are just that kind of creature. They're incredibly good when they're good, and incredibly bad when they're bad. They're both kind and cruel, both sentimental and cold. They can help you, but they can also harm you. The company, as a collective development direction of human desires, you actually expect it to get better, and to stay that way. It's a joke."

"It's much funnier than Johnny Silverhand's joke just now." Jiang Bing added.

Mr. Blue Eyes stared at Jiang Bing blankly, "Will [Anti-Entropy] be like this too?"

Jiang Bing waved his finger at him with a certain nonchalantness, "This is inevitable."

"Then why did you build it?"

Mr. Blue Eyes expressed great confusion about this.

Jiang Bing smiled mysteriously at the other person, and under his expectant gaze, he softly replied, "I'm happy to."

"There are so many whys in this world. If you stop eating because of choking, and worry about things that may not happen, you will not be able to get through life."

Mr. Blue Eyes' eyes began to flicker frequently.

Chapter 167: Following the Clues

“You can’t refuse to plant flowers forever because they will wither, and you can’t avoid starting something because you’re afraid of the end.”

"That's an interesting point of view." Mr. Blue Eyes seemed to have figured something out. "You're also a very interesting person."

"We've been watching you, Sabul, for longer than you think."

"Those powers of yours, those newfangled 'toys', although I don't know what's behind them, but Night City is free."

Mr. Blue Eyes smiled at Jiang Bing to express his goodwill.

Although his blue eyes made his expression a little distorted.

"As you said, Night City today isn't just someone's Night City. It also welcomes every builder, everyone who might make Night City a better place."

Jiang Bing listened to the other person's words, his expression remaining calm. "You came all the way to the Badlands just to chat with me about these trivial matters?"

"Heh" the other party chuckled twice.

"Mainly I wanted to say hello to you."

He looked at Jiang Bing's natural eyes with an unclear meaning.

"After all, we can't meet in person on the cybernet, so I have no choice but to come here in person."

"Now that you've seen it, how do you feel?" Jiang Bing asked curiously.

"It's worth the trip." The other party seemed very happy.

A metallic, pure black business card was taken out of the other party's pocket and pushed to Jiang Bing.

"Here's my contact information. I believe you might find it useful."

The other person stood up and said, "Regarding the city council member Star Jakojan whose son died, I have already dealt with him for you. He won't cause you any more trouble. I also hope that for the sake of our pleasant exchange today, you will not bother him again."