The Creators: From Night City

Page 271

………………

Only the dead can keep secrets.

Robert Carristy, the chief of the NCPD's Watson Division, said this to his trusted subordinates.

"Harley Pokel must die."

This bureau chief's image perfectly matches the phrase "obese and bloated." He cannot control his appetite, indulges in pleasure, and distrusts weight-loss-related prosthetic surgery, making obesity his inevitable choice.

He stroked a Chihuahua, a rare breed in Night City, while speaking coldly and gently.

"Understood, Chief. I'll call some reliable guys from the tactical unit and we'll go in a police car. They haven't found the tracking device on Harley Pokel yet, so we can take them by surprise."

The fat, idiot director picked up the tiny Chihuahua from the table with his large, fat hands, teasing it while scolding his subordinates with exasperation.

"Don't get your hands dirty. Let the Tiger Claw Gang and Whirlpool Gang do the dirty work."

"But they..."

"They're all useless, aren't they?" the bureau chief interrupted his confidant.

"Notify the Terrorist Mobile Unit to clean up the mess. Send Team Three; they've just been 'tamed' and are the most unstable. Just add a little stimulation to them on site, and I believe they'll go on a killing spree."

“But in that case, the massacre will definitely not be kept from Commander Max Hammerman, and he will certainly hold those responsible accountable.” The confidant looked worried, but in reality, he was just trying to get his superior’s support.

Since its listing, the NCPD has been streamlining its organization, and now it only has three major departments: patrol, investigation and tactics.

The tactical department is divided into the riot control department and the special weapons and tactics department.

The Terrorist Mobile Unit (TMU) originally belonged to the C-SWAT (Combat Extreme Force) division of the Special Weapons and Tactics Department. However, due to its significant law enforcement achievements, the continuous expansion of its law enforcement scope, and the expansion of its influence, C-SWAT has become a special entity within the NCPD that surpasses other departments.

During the Corporate Wars, the rapid deterioration of public order and the encroachment of major corporations on the NCPD led to the complete collapse of the old NCPD system. The only survivor was Max-Tac, the only clean department within the old NCPD. Max-Tac's commander, Max Hammerman, was a shrewd and resourceful individual. He maintained an iron fist over his troops while expanding his role and influence through the Terrorist Unit's authority to control any incidents in the city suspected of involving cyberpsychosis. He collaborated with major corporations to secure their support for the Terrorist Unit while maintaining as much neutrality as possible.

Even now, despite their poor reputation in Night City, the Terrorist SWAT team is practically the last bastion of 'judicial justice' in Night City.

The bureau chief's face darkened. After a moment's consideration, his attachment to his position ultimately outweighed his fear of Max Hammerman, this troublemaker.

"Go ahead and do it. I'll take care of Max Hammerman."

"Understood," was exactly the word his confidant had been waiting for. He was just about to ask his boss for some support when suddenly a few sporadic gunshots rang out from downstairs.

"what happened?"

The two immediately became alert.

It's important to know that the two of them are currently in Robert Carristy's apartment in the Blossom Apartments. This kind of high-end apartment is not like a super skyscraper, a place for ordinary people, and its security is absolutely guaranteed.

Chapter 527 No Secrets

Therefore, the gunshots that are common in the streets and civilian areas of Night City should not be heard here.

"Sean, Kadoli, damn it!!" The chief's confidant activated his prosthetic eye and tried to contact the two men who were supposed to be waiting downstairs in the duplex apartment building, but the message disappeared without a trace.

"Chief, something's happened!"

"I know."

Robert Carlisle pressed the security button next to his seat, and thick steel plates quickly descended from the doors and windows, blocking all entrances and providing the two of them with time to defend themselves against the attackers.

Meanwhile, he tried to send out distress signals and attempted to access the security system's surveillance footage, only to discover that all the security systems had gone offline at some point, and all communications had been blocked.

"Damn it, these guys came prepared." The fat bureau chief was in no mood to play with his Chihuahua anymore. He quickly got up from his chair and went to the steel plate by the door to listen to what was happening outside.

The fat bureau chief is indeed very protective of his life, and the smart defense system he installed in his home is indeed one of the best products on the market.

However, even 10-centimeter-thick steel plates cannot stop professional demolition explosives, not to mention that although the doors and windows are protected by steel plates, the walls are not.

"boom!"

The steel door was intact, but a large hole was blown into the thick concrete wall next to it.

Several fully armed soldiers braved the gunfire from the two men inside and rushed into the room through the smoke and dust. Without saying a word, one of them first unleashed a shock restraint grenade, causing the two men to immediately breakdance in a retro style.

Electric current is far more damaging to people in the cyberpunk world than to ordinary people. Their prosthetic bodies and brain-computer interfaces make their resistance to electric current basically negative. When the electric shock bomb hits, the brain-computer interfaces of the two people are disrupted by the electric current and restarted, causing them to black out.

When he opened his eyes again, Robert Carristi was already tied up.

"Who are you?" he asked hoarsely, but his voice sounded weak.

"You can't guess, can you?" Jiang Bing picked through a pile of knives with his hands, finally selecting a No. 10 scalpel for dissection, and walked up to the fat bureau chief who looked like a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered.

"After all, you have so many enemies that you can't even count them all."

"Whoever you are, you'd better understand what you're doing. This is kidnapping, and you're kidnapping a high-ranking official of Night City," the director threatened, his neck stiff, but his words lacked any confidence.

“In my opinion, you are no different from those children you kidnapped and trafficked. On the contrary, I even think you are not as noble as them.” As Jiang Bing spoke, he directly stabbed the other man in the neck.

The cold blade sliced ​​through his skin, and the fat bureau chief immediately howled like a pig being bled dry.

He thought his throat had been slit by the thugs without explanation, but after struggling for a long time, apart from the pain, he did not feel any loss of blood.

"Calm down now?" Jiang Bing smiled like a Hannibal Lecter from Night City. "I'm going to remove the tracking device from your body. You'd better not move around, or you'll have to choose between a stun gun or an open wound to your carotid artery."

Almost all high-ranking officials and heads of major powers have implanted miniature positioning devices to facilitate location tracking and rescue in the event of kidnapping or disappearance.

Michiko Arasaka has it, the new US President Miles has it, and Hanako Arasaka also has it. Although Robert Callisti's status is far inferior to that of the bigwig mentioned above, he still meets the same standard.

Of course, he belonged to the group of people who could choose not to install it, but for the sake of his own safety, the fat bureau chief still installed a tracking device.

If a normal robber really wanted to kidnap him and hadn't considered this aspect, and had only blocked the trauma team's signal, they would definitely have been caught off guard by the rapidly arriving NCPD special agents.

But this time, the person handling the case happened to be a 'craftsman'.

In this situation, with the positioning device removed, the hope of subsequent assistance was basically cut off. The fat bureau chief was naturally unwilling from the bottom of his heart. He stretched his legs and resolutely refused to comply, looking like a fat pig about to be slapped, trying his best to avoid becoming a 'father-in-law'.

So he got to enjoy the electricity produced by the nuclear power plant that [Reverse Entropy] developed and built itself.

The electric baton was stuck in the other person's body, crackling loudly, almost electrocuting him, before Jiang Bing finally let go.

Taking advantage of the numbing effect of the electric current, Jiang Bing was able to successfully remove the positioning device and hand it over to Valerie, who was waiting nearby.

The other party has ample experience in handling this.

Valerie connected the positioning device with a special instrument, and with a flash of her prosthetic eye, she hacked into it. With just a few simple operations, she paralyzed it and casually put it aside.

This thing will be useful later; we'll have to put it back on the fat bureau chief after we finish interrogating him.

"Tell me, where did you send all those children?" Jiang Bing asked, wiping his hands.

Although Harley Pokel knew that Robert Carristy had been involved in child trafficking in his jurisdiction, she did not know who the buyers were. In fact, aside from knowing Robert's "three burrows" safe house, she was more of a schemer for him to gain connections within the NCPD.

After all, as a mistress who sells her body for a living, she is naturally suited to engaging in power-money-sex transactions, and is also always ready to test cadres from all walks of life.

However, Robert Carristi would never discuss such a crucial question; naturally, he gritted his teeth and remained silent.

At this point, other factions could choose to extract brain-computer interface data, or more thoroughly, find two 'neuromonsers'.

While directly stealing someone's memories is one thing, [Reverse Entropy] is different; [Reverse Entropy] has many ways to make the fat director talk automatically.

Mind control, as a hallmark application of telepathic magic, is essentially the rape of the target's mind; of course, it can also be described more elegantly as hypnosis.

Its effectiveness depends entirely on the difference in mental strength and will between the caster and the target, as well as the level of the caster. However, there is a significant drawback: if the target is affected for too long or to too great an extent, their brain may be damaged.

However, it is naturally very effective for interrogation.

Faced with Robert's silent resistance, Jiang Bing waved his hand as expected. The carriage door behind him suddenly opened, letting in bright light and the rolling yellow sand of the bad soil.

Margarita, the current dean of Aretusa, a senior researcher in the [Anti-Entropy] medical department, and a renowned archmage across the wizarding continent, gracefully stepped into the spacious cargo compartment of the heavy truck, lifting her skirt.

"Pry open his mouth and erase his memories while you're at it," Jiang Bing instructed.

“As you wish, Your Excellency Sabur.” Margarita nodded gracefully and smiled as she walked toward the target that was constantly being stepped on by the metal carriage.

This is Dean Aretusa's magical hypnosis technique, and it's also a way of ensuring he gets the best food.

Chapter 528 Heading to the Cartography Room

Mr. Blue Eyes stood in front of the Sunset Motel, not far from the edge of Night City, waiting for Jiang Bing's arrival.

He always seems to have free time, and he's always so unhurried and calm.

An unremarkable Villefort Columbus V340-F van drove up from a distance and stopped beside him.

Jiang Bing got out of the driver's seat and simply tossed the car keys along with a chip to the other person.

"The target is inside the train carriage."

“I’m really surprised by your efficiency and your work style.” The blue-eyed man rubbed the vehicle identification card and chip. “Although I shouldn’t be surprised, the city is in an uproar right now. After all, it’s a big deal that a high-ranking NCPD official was kidnapped in his own home. It’s a major event that could shake the whole city.”

"The goal has been achieved, hasn't it?"

Mr. Blue Eyes smiled and shook his head helplessly, then simply inserted the data chip behind his ear to read the data.

This contains a detailed list of crimes, enough to send the fat pigs in the carriage to jail so they can enjoy a leisurely vacation.

Aside from drug trafficking, smuggling, bribery, and collusion with large corporations, the intelligence related to child trafficking is the most shocking.

The chip contained a vast and meticulously structured criminal network, from Umbrella Deputy Mayor Holt to low-level leaders of the Tiger Claw and Vortex gangs, involving more than a dozen city councilors, and even a large number of Watson District cleaners.

Trafficked children are mostly homeless children scouted from the streets by gang members, children directly kidnapped by street cleaners, or simply sourced from official or private orphanages.

The buyer, however, is even more interesting. It is a financial advisory and management company located in Brac, Cayman, called Weill Financial Management.

"Oh, it's him." The blue-eyed man's prosthetic eye flashed, but his expression was strange.

"Tell me about it." Jiang Bing was very interested in the whereabouts of these children.

"The owner of Weill Financial Management is Jeffrey Weill. His company is actually quite famous in the world's rich and powerful circles. The company provides services for billionaires with a net worth of more than 10 billion euros and is committed to building a convenient and fast communication platform for its clients."

Mr. Blue Eyes spoke very casually, as if these so-called secrets among the upper class were as commonplace as gravel on the roadside.

"This company's clients are all very wealthy and powerful: princes from small countries, executives of large corporations, leaders of terrorist organizations, certain high-ranking politicians, and top technical experts from around the world. You could say that the most elite group of people in the human race are all gathered here." The blue-eyed man pointed to Jiang Bing with his little finger, but his expression was very disdainful.

"A political and financial broker, an intermediary who lives off the desires of the powerful and wealthy," Jiang Bing revealed the true nature of the situation.

“That’s right, a world-class top-tier middleman who relies on connections for survival, a world-leading brokerage group that moves among various powerful forces.” Blue Eyes added to Jiang Bing’s point of view.

What are they doing trafficking children from Night City?

"Actually, they have 'buyers' all over the world, not just from Night City. Their targets aren't just children. They buy all kinds of counterfeit goods, sunglasses, prototype technology, intelligence, stocks, luxury goods, and even cyber-psychotics. It's just that children are the products they need the most." The blue-eyed man seemed to have thought of a certain possibility, which made him very proactive in communicating with Jiang Bing.

“Weil Financial Management owns its own artificial island group in the waters west of Saint Lucia, in the high seas of the Atlantic Ocean, in a completely lawless place.”

"Where most of these children will be taken, and what they will be used for, I think I don't need to say more." The blue-eyed man pulled the chip out from behind his ear, waved to Jiang Bing, opened the car door, and got in.

"If you're interested, you can look into it carefully. After all, the information about Wells Financial Management Company is only circulated in a small circle, so it's not difficult to obtain."

"boom"

The car door closed, and the blue-eyed man rolled down the window, reached out and rested his hand on the window, asking, "So, is there anything you want to say, Mr. Sabur, who hates evil and acts with integrity?"

"Let's hurry up, it's getting dark." Jiang Bing tapped the car body with his cane, signaling the other party to get going quickly.

"Heh," the blue-eyed man shrugged as he looked at Jiang Bing, whose expression was as calm as still water, and started the car. "You did a pretty thorough job this time. I don't know how you found out, but the information here is enough to send several city councilors to jail. Your city councilor spot will probably be filled much sooner. You'd better hurry up with the selection."

“I will arrange it,” Jiang Bing said, taking two steps back to make room. “But don’t be so impatient. You have to take things one step at a time.”

“That’s true.” Mr. Blue Eyes nodded, rolled up the window, and sped off in the unremarkable Villefort Columbus V340-F freight truck toward Night City.

………………

The void that holds endless planes of existence.

'port'

Here, everything remains the same as before. The starlight flows endlessly in the vast universe, dazzlingly beautiful. The square is still spacious and clean. The entire port is exactly as Azure Vision described. Time has no meaning here.

"It's been a while since you last came."

Jiang Bingcai had only taken a few steps into the square when his azure gaze appeared from the void, his large eyes still as bright and piercing as ever.

“I’ll take the ‘boat’,” Jiang Bing replied.

Where are we going this time?

Cartography Room

"The Cartography Room?!" Azure Vision's large eyes suddenly froze. He scanned Jiang Bing up and down a few times, then said with a look of realization, "Oh, oh, oh, you're going to take an exam, right? No wonder, you almost scared me."

As Azure Vision spoke, his eyes narrowed involuntarily, as if he were recalling some unforgettable memory.

"Come on, I'll take you onto the 'ship'."

Each person looked towards the center of the empty square, only stopping when they were close to the colossal pillar that seemed to reach the heavens.