Back to business.
Since Lille hadn’t impulsively made a decision and shaken hands, Jefferson couldn’t keep pressing a cold shoulder toward him.
Secondly, since Lille had walked in up to now, his restraint in not shaking hands excitedly indicated that there wasn’t a problem.
If he had shaken hands eagerly, that would have been a cause for concern, making one wonder if the rcenary had ulterior motives.
"Fair enough." Jefferson withdrew his hand and began cutting his steak.
This was genuine beef, taken directly from a living cow.
Jack and V had already finished eating, and watched eagerly as Jefferson used his knife and fork to cut the at—
They hadn’t cut their at and thought the napkin at the tableside was for holding the at, puzzled about what the small knife beside it was for.
They thought to themselves: using a napkin to hold food really seed quite elegant...
Seeing this, Jack leaned back slightly and signaled to V, who imdiately began to text.
However, here, short-range communication signals would be intercepted.
The sound of a nearby siren made Jefferson pause in his cutting.
He had just struggled to contain himself!
How could these two guys just eat voraciously while Lille and his conversation were so high-end?
Moreover, it seed like they thought their behavior was quite tasteful!
But now that the alarms were going off, how should he react!!
The atmosphere suddenly beca extrely awkward.
Lille calmly reached out and operated the console, turning off the alarm.
"Uh..."
"Let’s talk business, we’re all friends here."
Jefferson was embarrassed, but still forced himself to stay calm, maintaining the sophistication of the conversation, "Well...since you are smart and sincere, I’ll just say it, I hope you can help deal with the Vortex Gang."
Lille imdiately caught on.
He picked up a napkin from the table, wrapped it around his hand, and picked up the steak, munching as he spoke, "You saw how we subdued the Tiger Claw Gang, so you want us to use the sa thod on the Vortex Gang, to draw them a line."
Jefferson nodded, "I never thought the cri rate in Westbrook would drastically decrease because of rcenaries, but it’s the reality.
You did not only cripple the Tiger Claw Gang; you also sent a ssage to other gangs and criminals: there are so jobs you just can’t do.
Unlike Night City’s flimsy laws, although you have not officially decreed anything, they are all afraid of you.
Night City doesn’t know the details, I don’t know the details, outsiders can only see you doing one incredible thing after another.
In every matter, corporations, the NCPD, or the gangs’ foul deeds are exposed and crushed, and you guys are just... legendary!"
Jack and V, who had just been embarrassed, nodded slightly.
That’s right, say more.
Lille followed through on Jefferson’s ideas, clarifying his thoughts: "Get them to change their behavior, lower the cri rate, so that the city council will reconsider the necessity of this policy.
Military Technology can only wholeheartedly support you, not rely on Ryan’s promises."
"Yes, the support from Military Technology will be the last straw that breaks Ryan."
Lille gnawed on another piece of at, and while chewing, asked, "What exactly is to be done?"
"That’s your expertise, and I heard you like high-autonomy tasks.
So, my condition is, for every Vortex Gang mber with a bounty you eliminate, I’ll pay the sa bounty again.
Also, for every percentage point the cri rate drops, I will pay you a bonus of 100,000 Euros."
Lille laughed, "Do you think we are wish-granting machines?"
Such freedom in completing tasks is true freedom, but...
Reducing cri rates is a public safety issue; they really thought these three were a professional security team!
Such a commission was too brutal.
Jefferson could only give a wry smile, "I’m not familiar with gang affairs, so this was all I could think of.
To be more specific, I only know that the Vortex Gang has a lot of illegally modified prosthetics and a Black Superdream industry chain, bold enough to attack Military Technology convoys...
They are as unscrupulous as the Tiger Claw Gang—no, they are even more ruthless and vicious, otherwise I wouldn’t have sought you out.
Why don’t you just eliminate Vortex Gang’s leader and replace him with soone obedient?"
Lille was sowhat speechless.
Jefferson indeed was a good hand in politics, but when it ca to handling gang affairs specifically, he was clueless.
And not just clueless, but so much so that even Jack and V were confused.
This elite seed to really not understand the gang affairs at all.
It turned out he really wasn’t bluffing—no corporate or gang dirty money, it might all be true, he didn’t seem like the kind to ddle in such matters.
Lille finished his steak and then had so vegetable salad, thinking that the 2076 salad still tasted terrible.
After eating for a while, Lille said, "Here’s the deal, you prepay 100,000 Euros, and I’ll think of a way."
"Agreed."
At this point, V couldn’t sit still anymore, she directly said, "Hold on, you’re just going to give us the money? Aren’t you afraid we’ll just take the money and run?"
Jefferson shook his head, "It’s normal to pay sothing upfront for a job, and I trust that you wouldn’t tarnish your reputation for a re 100,000 Euros."
Lille wiped his mouth.
"Just for that attitude, I guarantee to complete the task beyond your expectations."
"That’s it for today..." Jefferson wiped his hands, then pinched the bridge of his nose, "I’m glad I could et you guys.
I’ve got a bit of a headache, probably from too much overti recently...
If you don’t mind, I might need to leave early."
Lille nodded, "Of course."
Jefferson showed a worn-out expression and got up to leave the room.
As he walked out, he pulled a small Stimulant from his pocket and injected it into his arm.
"Why do I always feel headaches lately..."
As he sat back down, he thought of Lille and the others clutching their steaks, a tired smile creeping onto his face.
The big shots and the King aside, typical low-end folks, brainless street kids—it wasn’t surprising they did such things.
But for Burger King, Jefferson didn’t think Lille was the kind of illiterate who couldn’t use a knife and fork to eat steak.
Sohow, though, he felt that it was also quite alright...
Just then, the pain worsened, and he grabbed the air-injection syringe next to him, giving himself another dose of Stimulant.
With the Stimulant in his blood, he breathed a long sigh.
"Ah..."
...
Downstairs in the lobby, watching the Floating Car drive away, V spoke up:
"I an, doesn’t our mayoral candidate seem a bit off?"
Jack also nodded, "He was speaking alright at first, why did he suddenly clam up later?"
"Could you two let go of now?"
Lille, with a swollen head, male on both sides, was stuck in the middle and couldn’t move.
"No way!" they shouted in unison!
Jack, frustrated, "Mano, that’s really not cool! You just watched us eat with our hands?!"
V also fud, "I think you need a lesson..."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about...hey hey hey! Stop!
There’s no surveillance inside, and the recording function of the Prosthetic Eye is off!"
"That big living politician, he still rembers though, doesn’t he!"
"Are you stupid? Why would he go around blabbing!"
In Lille’s frightened eyes, two large hands were just an inch away from his head...
"Wrong, my bad! How would I know you’d start eating bare-handedly! Wouldn’t instructing you on the spot have been even weirder!"
Thinking about it, that was true.
Now all three of them were simpletons using their hands to grab their steaks.
Thinking about it, it wasn’t so dumb after all, Lille had done it too, and it made him look rather fierce...right?
Lille added, "Big brother eating his al, what’s wrong with a bit of style!"
V thought for a mont, then looked at Jack, who was also looking at her.
Reluctantly, V let go of Lille and tapped him on the head.
"All right, considering you didn’t go it alone...let’s talk about what’s next.
This politician is quite generous, handing out 100,000 euros just like that, no wonder he rides in a Floating Car, rich as they co."
Lille rubbed his head, "It’s more than just rich... his degree alone is worth 27 million, I’ll ask soone about the next steps..."
"That much!"
Both of them widened their eyes!
"Alright, no need to make a fuss..."
Lille walked ahead briskly, while Jack and V started counting on their fingers.
Jack murmured to himself, "Rich folks...and rich folks have such weird habits, I was wondering why there was such a small knife on the table..."
V agreed, "I thought that was for when negotiations fell through and it ca to knifing, felt restrained to ..."
Lille held his forehead, "You two, go read so proper books."
Just then, a ssage ca through.
[Sender: redith Stout]
[redith: I’m so disappointed, you haven’t reached out to yet.]
[Burger King: Got any new gigs?]
[redith: ...]
[redith: Okay, there is a new gig for you, it’s sensitive, let’s et face to face.]
[Burger King: Any hints?]
[redith: Rember the guy who robbed the company convoy in Evil Land?]
He rembered it well, that was Lille’s doing.
So redith was asking him to rob a company convoy.
Probably even Military Technology.
It’s good to have connections, a plan began to form in Lille’s mind.
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