The Creators: From Night City

Page 394

"Who can disagree? I knew he was destined for great things since I was a child."

The priest coughed twice, seemingly casually, and continued, "This meat not only smells delicious, but it also looks very tempting. It's a pity, I'm getting old, and even if it tastes good, I don't have much of an appetite anymore (I'm old and have lost my ambition). Mr. Sabur, please cut me a little less, just enough to fill my stomach and keep this old body alive. You can divide the rest of my share however you like. (I'm willing to give some of my resources to [Anti-Entropy] and let them do as they please, just enough for my retirement)."

“Father, you’re really quite magnanimous as you get older. How much would you like to eat? I’ll cut it for you,” Jiang Bing continued.

"You decide, I'm not picky. (I'll cooperate unconditionally.)"

It must be said that the priest was indeed a man of great courage. When it came to bowing one's head, he chose to bow completely and without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

Wakako Okada subtly pushed up her glasses, her expression extremely unpleasant.

Jiang Bing glanced meaningfully at the priest before him, inwardly sighing, "Old foxes are indeed shrewd; this attitude is truly decisive."

Little did the priest know that Jack was about to become mayor. Heywood, and the Valentino gang as a whole, had a family-like atmosphere similar to the Italian Mafia. The priest was willing to step down more because Jack was going to become mayor.

Moreover, Jack is a member of the Anti-Entropy company, which is undoubtedly the icing on the cake.

With this 'new mayor' from Heywood in place, the residents of Heywood, the Valentino gang, and acquaintances including the priest would inevitably receive implicit preferential treatment. Compared to this, giving up some of his current interests to befriend [Anti-Entropy] was something he could completely accept.

"That's too kind of you (I'm very satisfied)."

Jiang Bing wielded his knife, cutting off a piece of steak that was half the size of Dakota Smith's, and placed it on a plate.

"This meat was indeed hard to come by, it's such a waste that you can't finish it. With our relationship, how could I let you suffer a loss, Father? (I'm very satisfied with your attitude; I wouldn't let you suffer a loss even if it meant spending a fortune to buy a horse bone.)"

Jiang Bing turned and went to the kitchen. When he came out, he was carrying another plate with a piece of fresh raw meat on it.

Cut the raw meat, pack it, put it in a box, place it on a plate, and gesture for Gloria to serve it to the priest.

"Here's some raw meat for you to take home and cook yourself. Trust me, the organic meat from [Anti-Entropy] is definitely more delicious and easier to digest than what's available on the market. (The necessary profits taken from you will be compensated by [Anti-Entropy] with new profits, and it's more profitable, easier, and safer than buying and selling on the market.)"

Sebastian Ibarra looked at the plate in front of him and couldn't help but smile with delight. He hadn't expected that his early surrender would bring him such an unexpected reward.

"Then I thank Mr. Sabur for his kindness."

Seeing the harmonious scene of 'neighborly harmony' before them, the other middlemen immediately overturned their previous plans and frantically calculated and weighed the gains and losses from all sides, quickly devising a new plan to cut their losses.

Amidst the silence, only the old captain stepped forward, casually approaching Jiang Bing at the bar and chuckling, "Mr. Sabur will take care of mine. You know my health; I'm frail and sickly, I can't eat much. I don't think I can keep doing this middleman job for long, it's too tiring and bad for my health. (I've given all my resources to [Anti-Entropy], I'm not going to be a middleman anymore.)"

Jiang Bing looked at the grinning old captain with surprise and asked, "Old Captain, why have you suddenly become so generous? I remember last year when I bought a car from your middleman, you didn't give me a single penny off. (This sudden generosity is out of character for a middleman.)"

"Back then, we weren't very familiar with each other, but you did an absolutely amazing job with the Santo Domingo groundwater deal. And the 'clean water project' that [Anti-Entropy] is currently implementing at the Coronado farm—you did a fantastic job. All that equipment must have cost hundreds of millions of euros. For that alone, you should eat more; after all, you need to be well-fed to have the energy to do big things. (I, the old captain, am not a money-grubber. Just for the good things [Anti-Entropy] did in Santo Domingo, I'm repaying the favor by handing over the middleman resources I have.)"

It has to be said that the old captain is a truly remarkable person. There are many people in Night City who are doing better than him, but it's hard to find many who live as freely as him.

After saying this, the old captain didn't even want to stay on the ground anymore. He got up and left his seat, sitting in the farthest corner, showing his intention to completely leave the circle of middlemen.

"In that case, I appreciate your kindness. When the purchasing staff goes to your middleman for a good car to buy a car, remember to give me a discount."

Given [Anti-Entropy]'s current industrial capabilities, how could they possibly need to buy cars from the old captain, a middleman? Jiang Bing's words were tantamount to telling the other party that [Anti-Entropy] had invested in their middleman business of buying good cars.

This undoubtedly tickled the old captain's itch, who was preparing to switch careers to become a professional car dealer, and he was immediately overjoyed.

"Mr. Sabur"

Just as Regina Jones, a former independent FTF radio reporter and Watson District's top middleman, was about to continue speaking, Jiang Bing preemptively started talking about a seemingly unrelated topic.

Have you been following the recent news?

Regina was completely bewildered.

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Bing tapped the counter lightly with his finger, and the wall-mounted TV above his head immediately turned on automatically, playing the "Taiping Prefecture Daily News" program from "Voice of Dogtown".

"According to our reporter, the newly established Taiping State Police completed its first police operation yesterday and achieved great success. It is reported that the operation took less than 2 hours from the victim's online report to the arrest of the criminals, and most of the stolen goods were recovered in time."

"Here, the host urges Taiping residents that if you suffer personal injury or property damage, you might as well try calling the Taiping State Police's online emergency number. Our officers will arrive at your side within 5 minutes to help you solve your problems."

As the host announced, the screen showed close-ups of numerous police officers storming into the building of two robbers, while in the background corner of the camera, several fully armed "Apostles" were 'intentionally or unintentionally' filmed firing wildly as they advanced into the depths of the street.

“The Voice of Dogville?” Regina, a media professional, seemed to understand.

"This newly established TV station is in dire need of staff. I heard they're short of a station manager. Since we're from the same hometown, would you like me to introduce you to someone?"

Jiang Bing's words were like the whispers of the devil, causing this unwavering street media fighter to waver involuntarily.

Chapter 809 The Transaction in Progress

After much deliberation, Regina Jones ultimately rejected the deal.

Although Watson District's order had completely shifted towards Anti-Entropy with the disappearance of the Vortex Gang and the arrival of the Workers' Mutual Aid Association, her purpose as an intermediary was to better pursue the truth. In her view, whether joining Anti-Entropy or staying at FTF Radio, which had been acquired by media giant 54 News, to continue as an independent journalist, both inherently carried a preconceived stance.

She was afraid that this would prevent her from ever speaking the truth again.

"Forget about the station director, my energy is limited. But I can try to contribute to 'Voice of Dogtown' later, I don't know if they'll accept it." Regina said with a hidden agenda, looking at the host who had already begun to criticize the Haitian community.

"Of course we'll accept them. Excellent articles are hard to come by. I've heard that 'Voice of Dogtown' is known for its audacity. If you have dirt on major companies, sending it here is the right thing to do. They'll definitely report it truthfully in detail."

“Mr. Nasabur, could you introduce me to a freelance reporter position at ‘Voice of Dogtown’? That would make things easier when going through the procedures,” Regina Jones finally stated her proposed deal.

“Of course, no problem. They would be more than happy to have a media professional as outstanding as you, and I’m sure the compensation will definitely satisfy you.” Jiang Bing was perfectly willing to accept it.

"That's great. After all, I've been busy working to better report the truth. Having this new channel to speak out will surely make things much easier for me."

"Now that the workload has decreased, I won't eat so much, Mr. Sabur. It's a good time to lose some weight."

Jiang Bing didn't say anything, but instead waved his hand and cut off a piece of meat of about the same size, piling it on the plate.

"Doing the right thing does take a lot of energy, so I think you should eat more. But you have to listen to my advice: you need to focus your mind on your main work, learn to be lazy, and learn to conserve your energy. Otherwise, if you keep running around doing this and that, you'll wear yourself out sooner or later."

Regina stared blankly at Jiang Bing, never imagining that there would be a middleman who could obtain support from him.

"I've learned a lot." This reporter, whose original aspirations remained unchanged, was very satisfied with the plan for dividing the benefits, or rather, this was the direction she wanted to 'evolve' into.

As Gloria placed the plate of steak on her table, only four people remained who had not yet spoken.

In the end, it was Deno Tinovic, the bassist of the band "Looking for Bandits," who spoke first.

“Mr. Sabur, I’m just a member of a band. I don’t really do much on weekdays when I’m not performing. Just give me a little bit.”

“I know your band, they’re really popular, tickets are hard to come by, but how do you make a living when you don’t have any shows?” Jiang Bing said, looking at the burly middleman he hadn’t dealt with much.

"I just do some stimulants, take out easy loans, and make sex dolls for my best buddies' birthdays to earn a little money, and it's all 'legal'."

Dino Tinovich emphasized the word 'legal' particularly.

"It's good that it's legal, it has to be legal, because only legality can ensure longevity."

Jiang Bing cut a small piece of meat with his knife and gestured for Gloria to serve it to him.

This middleman is located in the city center, which [Anti-Entropy] will focus on developing next, and is within the sphere of influence of Gloria's next key 'business', so he can't cause much trouble.

Furthermore, since the other party knew when to back down, took the initiative to express their stance, and was willing to sever ties, the matter was thus resolved.

The pressure then fell on Roger Amandias, Mr. Hanz, and Wakako Okada.

That being said, everyone present was quick-witted and well-informed.

It's important to know that Anti-Entropy's current headquarters is in Taiping Prefecture, and the fact that Hanz, the former underground emperor of Taiping Prefecture, is sitting here unharmed today speaks volumes.

As for Roger, the 'Queen of the Middlemen,' she is an old friend of [Anti-Entropy]. Her high-end organic meat business comes from [Anti-Entropy], so their cooperation is hardly a secret.

It seems.

The only one who truly felt the pressure was Okada Wakako.

She had dealt with Jiang Bing many times, but due to Okada Wakako's personality and way of doing things, the two sides had only engaged in a purely transactional exchange of interests, with little affection involved, which was undoubtedly a very bad sign.

But the more fatal factor lies in the 'Tiger Claw Gang'.

This gang, which was affiliated with Arasaka, grew and became powerful in Night City with their support, eventually surpassing other gangs.

Okada Wakako, who had close ties with the Tiger Claw Gang, reaped considerable benefits from this.

But Xiao He was both the one who made him and the one who brought him down.

With the withdrawal of the Arasaka Group, the Tiger Claw Gang, having lost its backer, became a hot potato.

It's obvious to everyone that Anti-Entropy will inevitably take action against the Tiger Claw Gang. After all, whether it's to clean up the lingering influence of the Arasaka Group or to weaken the largest gang in Night City, there will inevitably be a conflict between the two.

Despite the Sixth Street Gang losing half its territory, the Vortex and Voodoo Gangs being nearly wiped out, and the Valentino Gang subtly siding with Anti-Entropy, the Tiger Claw Gang still occupies the most prosperous and lucrative areas: Japan Street, Little Chinatown, Kabuki District, and Charter Hill, and its overall power remains the greatest.

Of course, what was even more fatal was that he chose the wrong side.

As a dog kept by the Arasaka Group, this label alone is enough to arouse the hostility of [Anti-Entropy].

Under these circumstances, Okada Wakako, as the wife of the ninth leader of the Tiger Claw Gang and the invisible de facto ruler, was naturally extremely uneasy and trembling with fear.

Finally, after a brief silence, and under the watchful eyes of almost all the intermediaries, Okada Wakako, the elderly lioness, opened her mouth and revealed her fangs.

"Although I am old, I have a better appetite than young people."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone present was astonished.

"Oh?"

Jiang Bing didn't say much, but simply looked up and sized up the old woman not far away.

Although Okada Wakako is a veteran member of the Tiger Claw Gang, she's not an idiot.

As one of the smartest people in Night City, she dared to say such things in this situation, so she must have her reasons.

“I am not like them. It is not polite to come as a guest empty-handed.”

Okada Wakako's emotions were churning. Various gains and losses were rapidly weighed in her mind. The pain of having her flesh cut off made her heart clench uncontrollably. But even so, her aged face still maintained that typical forced smile.

She took a data chip out of her pocket and placed it on the table.

"It's just a small token of my appreciation."

Gloria stepped forward and picked up the chip.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the fabric that made up her sleeves suddenly transformed into flowing nano-elements, instantly enveloping the chip and beginning to read the information inside.

But in reality, even without reading the chip, everyone present could guess what the information inside the chip was.

After all, the only ones who could offer the bargaining chips that Okada Wakako proposed were the 'Tiger Claw Gang'!

Chapter 810 The Return of Order

"The gift is nice, but not enough."

Jiang Bing made his decision without even glancing at the contents of the chip.

"If you want to eat meat, and more meat, you have to work harder."

"I couldn't ask for more."

Looking at Okada Wakako in front of him, Jiang Bing inexplicably thought of Arasaka Saburo.

The two are truly alike in temperament and personality; they are equally ruthless and decisive, willing to do anything to achieve their goals.

They both resemble a venomous old viper.

For her own benefit, Okada Wakako did not hesitate to sell out the entire Tiger Claw Gang and choose to become the gravedigger standing by Anti-Entropy's side, disregarding any past friendships.

Such a person may be insidious, but they are absolutely reliable when it comes to getting things done.

Jiang Bing wasn't afraid of her having big appetites; he could afford it.

He cut off a large piece of steak, and without Gloria's help, Jiang Bing gently pushed the plate across the bar and precisely placed it in front of Okada Wakako.

"You can eat, but you can't say whatever you want, lest you eat too much and then throw it up, which would be bad for your health."

Wakako Okada did not argue, but instead stared at the steak in front of her and fell silent.

The remaining chops were hastily divided into two portions by Jiang Bing, one for each of Roger and Hanz.

"Please make yourselves at home. I won't keep you after dinner, since this restaurant will be open for business as usual tonight."

The group of middlemen, each with their own thoughts and complex expressions, savored the steak on their plates.

The crispy outer shell, with its grainy salt and pepper, provides a crunchy texture.

Then, there was almost no resistance when you bit down. The steak was exceptionally tender and juicy. You only needed to gently close your teeth, and the steak would fall apart instantly. There was no need to tear the muscle fibers anymore.

The rich, meaty flavor is the absolute protagonist, pure and intense, with salt and pepper perfectly complementing the taste of fat, while butter and herbs add complexity and depth to the flavor.

Under Jiang Bingdeng's masterful control of the heat, these diverse ingredients blended perfectly together, resulting in a very balanced overall flavor that is a symphony of saltiness, umami, aroma, and sweetness, with a lingering aftertaste.

But all the middlemen ate with preoccupations and distracted minds.