Chapter 212: Chapter 127: SAT and Threats

The actions were frighteningly skilled.

The shield bearer raised a hand, and the body fell apart, with innards and blood spreading all over the ground.

John resisted the urge to scan the opponents.

Even from a distance, in the deafening alarm and red lights, the oppressive feeling was palpable. Every implanted body part and external equipment was top-notch.

The rumors were not wrong.

They were Eden City’s most legitimate butchers, interpreting violence with the freshest methods.

[Scan detected, hacking… terminated.]

“…Damn, that’s really screwed up.”

John had been noticed, and instinctively activated his prosthetic eye to see—a stream of red data linking him to a hovercar in the distance.

He suppressed the urge to draw his gun.

The SAT hacker ended the hacking process, like glancing at ordinary citizens during crime scene control; targets without obvious resistance or signs of losing control would be ignored.

The battle was nearly over.

John put away his curiosity, and the moment the chip was disengaged, he roared off with the throttle, leaving the coastal cargo area.

He cursed loudly the moment he crossed the bridge.

The cops retreating from the combat zone were all blocking the exits, setting up checkpoints at every entrance to the city.

John found himself in an inconvenient position.

His helmet had been lost during the fight.

In front was the inter-district bridge, the main road, where three armored vehicles and fully armed ECPD awaited. The crime rate in Eden City was astonishingly high; everyone had a bounty on them, it just depended on whether the police took it seriously.

John didn’t want any trouble.

When passing through the checkpoint, the scanner detected his prosthetic eye, and an officer immediately asked to take a look.

[Mission Objective Update]

[Cooperate with the Inspection. (Optional)]

[Force through with violence. (Optional)]

“Sir, hey, don’t do anything stupid, okay…”

The officer wore a black raincoat with reflective stripes, revealing a sidearm as he lifted his water-repellent coat.

“…Hand over the item.”

Several people approached, and other officers with arms crossed closed in from the hood, making the scene increasingly tense, as if it was heading towards an inevitable conflict.

Woowoo.

The police car horn caught everyone’s attention.

[Never mind, go ahead and let him through…]

Barry, in uniform, leaned against the window of a black armored vehicle, nodded at John from afar.

The cops re-holstered their weapons and moved aside the electronic barrier.

John drove closer.

He leaned on the driver’s window, murmuring while staring at the rearview mirror.

“Black leather jacket, Owl Town’s Glaive, and Raqi Industry’s rifle with Rapid Runner… Do you have anything to explain to me?”

Barry removed his sunglasses and tucked them into his bulletproof vest.

“Not long ago, someone attacked the police on Sakura Cross Street. The injured guy gave me a signal, spoke a bunch of transactions I couldn’t understand, and even offered to bribe me… but I don’t recognize this Shark Coin.”

“How did you respond?”

“Didn’t expose myself, nor took the money, just had a normal chat. He said someone under him had struck a deal with these guys.”

Barry took a puff from his cigarette.

“I already made a little allowance for you, been wondering about it, but looking at your gear, I understand now.”

“I also don’t want to cause trouble…”

John told Barry about the deal with the corrupt cops. “If it’s inconvenient, you can put the blame on me.”

“Haha, of course not, you handle things quite deftly, naturally suited for street life.”

Barry paused, seeming quite pleased.

He gave John a precaution.

“If you’re doing business with Owl Town, be very cautious, never show weakness or take a loss, whether through conspiracy or force. Only with strong tactics will they respect you, it’s… pretty twisted.”

“I know…”

John sighed, preparing to leave.

But Barry called after him.

“Also, don’t be deceived by sweet talk, whether it’s Owl Town or Black Gold Gang, those smart big shots never spare compliments, flattery costs them nothing. If you really make it big, it’s a goodwill gesture.”

He chuckled knowingly, taking a drag on his cigarette.

“There are a lot of active young folk in the city. Don’t overestimate your actual level, and don’t easily trust anyone. Keeping a smart mind will help you live longer.”

John was silent for a moment, then spoke up.

“Once I finish the job, I’ll take you out for some fun; there’s quite a decent place worth skipping work for.”

“You want to bribe a lieutenant colonel of the Eden City Police Station?”

“Just social, like friends.”

“Damn, you’re really bold to say that. Fine, since you helped me ease the department competition, I’ll give you some face.”

Barry accepted the invitation.

[Street reputation increased, new social level unlocked.]

John drove into the commercial district, the busiest part of Sakura Cross Street lay in the shadow of skyscrapers, with giant holographic projections swirling around the hard exteriors of buildings.

Electronic petals drifted through the air.

Neon umbrellas and a variety of flashy advertisements filled the view, exuding a sense of debauchery everywhere.

The plaza was packed with people.

John stood under a signboard, looking up at the torii in the distance and the red corridors connecting each building.

He sent a message to the Black Gold Gang’s payment email.

Fifteen minutes later.

[Unknown contact [Video Call]]

Fujimura Takeshi was kneeling in front of a tea table, with the unique parlor of the Crimson Studio’s depths as his background.

His eyes and voice were calm.

[Mr. John, I heard you completed the task…]

“Surprised?”

John lit a cigarette for himself, his cybernetic eye flickering, smiling at the attractive women passing by.

“Sato’s eyeball is in my hand, so there’s no need to pretend. I’m just a bit curious… if the cyber maniacs had killed me, how would you get this thing?”

He directly exposed Fujimura Takeshi’s facade.

Retrieving the Black Gold Gang leader’s cybernetic eye amidst the cyber psychopaths was a deadly task for an ordinary street-level Lone Wolf.

Fujimura Takeshi smiled.

He squinted his eyes to examine John, as if taking him seriously, while nonchalantly admitting.

[We would have dealt with the SAT, paying a certain price, usually in implants or legal taxes.]

“Good, very good.”

John exhaled smoke. “Pay me my remaining balance.”

The video call went silent for a few seconds.

A generous payment was quickly transferred to John’s account, but he continued coldly.

“That’s fast, but not enough. I’m raising the price.”

Fujimura Takeshi laughed coldly.

It was like a robber calling the police before robbing a bank, daring to extort in front of the Hegemony Squad.

“Not interested? That’s fine. I could give the cybernetic eye to Jingke Heavy Industry, or Plato, or put it up for auction online; surely some news outlet would pay for it.”

Inside, it was evidence of the Black Gold Gang manufacturing cyber psychos, and included the malfunctioning process loaded with Raqi Industry products.

“Bribing me is definitely easier than bribing the SAT, but I don’t want to be a fool sent to my death.”

[Do you know what you’re doing?]

The glowing red tip of the cigarette was swallowed by the colorful night.

“Once I finish this cigarette, I’m hanging up. Think about it.”

John inhaled deeply again, like a hurt young man swallowing the harsh liquor of society’s blows.

[I agree to give you compensation, but this is a personal gesture, consider it goodwill from me, send me the address.]

“Haha, not naming a price, planning to silence me?”

John said it with his mouth, yet boldly provided the coordinates.

[You have courage, which I admire. Being friends might be better than being enemies. Rest assured, I will offer a hefty payment, but I won’t tolerate anyone being overly greedy.]

Fujimura Takeshi sipped from a porcelain cup.

[The item will be there shortly, a trade-off: payment and delivery. If you refuse, consider it a permanent refusal of my friendship.]

“I’ll wait.”

John hung up the call.

He crushed the cigarette butt, waiting just a few minutes, even shorter than the time he waited to contact Fujimura Takeshi.

The black bulletproof sedan pulled up to the curb as the green light came on.

A corporate suit opened the car door, retrieved a brand-new sealed box from the backseat, and walked over.

He headed straight to the fountain, placing the item down, then crossed his hands and stood like a statue staring at John.

“Damn, so serious.”

John pulled out the cybernetic eye from his jacket and tossed it over.

The black sedan drove off quickly.

He glanced down to scan the black object in front of him.

[Prosthetic: Silencer [Raqi Industry]]

[Area: Foot]

[Function: Enhanced arch support and experimental level six shock absorption, significantly reducing noise during movement when activated.]

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