"..."
John was silent for a mont, then pulled out a hemostatic stick from his coat and tossed it over.
The sound of sirens approached from the distance.
The roar of the motorcycles skimd through the industrial district’s streets and alleys,
the dawn and factory smoke acted like a filter draped over Eden City.
Through the high-tech prosthetic eye, all he saw was a ss.
John didn’t kill Amade.
This person was just a scatter supplier.
Left hand as a farr, right hand with the company dogs of Eden City, seemingly eating from both ends, but in reality, just a high-level worker.
[Eden City - Radiant Dust Farm]
John discarded the stinky street racing gang jacket, retrieved his stashed gear, and crossed the elevated layer.
The rcenaries didn’t block him.
The sky gradually brightened.
The battlefield needed cleaning.
The rcenaries, positioned on the front line, had the inherent right to the first round of spoils.
After all, this was at the farr’s doorstep.
To ensure the "garden" remained tidy, he outsourced all nial tasks to a professional cleaning company.
As John returned, he saw a group of strangers active around the area.
[Faction: High-Temperature Tube Cleaning Company]
Uniform attire.
Professional equipnt.
High-pressure water guns washed over the bloodied mud.
Workers extinguished the crackling flas among the remnants of buildings in order, organized the spoils, handled bodies, and dismantled unnecessary vehicles and firearms...
John entered the elevator.
The tal doors closed again.
The numbers flickered.
A while later, the door panel beca transparent, revealing layer upon layer of fresh produce cultivation areas, while emotionless advertisents played through the speakers.
[Radiant Dust Farm - Livestock Area]
John returned to a room filled with stacks of plastic hay bales.
Angelica greeted him.
The farr paced about the room, his prosthetic eye aglow, the light near the data port shining.
He was on a call.
"Get a basin to catch your own sprayed shit."
"A regular RPG? That’s a missile model, just with the Raqi Industry label torn off. It went off several tis under my feet last night."
"Could the street racing gang get hover cars without serial numbers? They’re all lawless rcenaries."
"This isn’t over!"
"Pass my ssage, whoever touches my custor, I’ll rip their intestines out to feed the pigs."
John listened quietly, but couldn’t help thinking:
The farr claims to protect clients, yet just monts ago, he didn’t hesitate to want Amade dead. When it ca down to it, he was rely safeguarding the Radiant Dust Farm’s business.
John picked up the wine, poured himself a glass.
The farr ended the call.
He removed his cowboy hat, running his hand through his short hair.
"Thanks for the hard work, John. I hope you bring good news."
"I’m not sure."
John’s expression was indifferent, his prosthetic eye flickered as he reached out to send a recorded file to Angelica and the farr.
With her sitting there, there was no need for secrets.
John then pulled out a chip and tossed it onto the table, serving as supplentary evidence.
The room fell montarily silent.
The farr watched the footage seriously, then knit his brow and exhaled deeply.
Angelica said nothing.
She rely focused on John’s eyes.
The farr propped up a leg, rubbing his short, stubby stubble with a hand.
The artificial leather on his hand creaked.
He muttered.
"Ah, damn... I always thought the problem was with myself and other companies, who would’ve guessed, it’s actually because the citizens can’t consu."
"Isn’t that trivial?"
John didn’t understand the implications.
"The chip should indicate how to transition from mixed products to pure at, adjusting gradually."
The farr nodded first, then shook his head, chuckled bitterly.
Every multinational food company started with blended products, slowly compromising to profit.
John asked.
"Isn’t this different? Don’t you have the final say in this factory?"
"You’re right, John, but what about once I leave this factory? I wouldn’t even need to leave the West District to et several assertive guys. To thrive in Eden City, you have to align with all sides’ interests and swallow the hardships."
The farr closed his eyes.
"Starting with mixed at would an becoming like them, stretching my hand into others’ bowls outright. Then it’d be a matter of comparison, which brings more benefits, a Radiant Dust Farm or an international food company?"
The farr learned a lesson from the resistance at his private estate in Old Arica.
"If you want to beco a dragon to gain power, in the end, you’ll only turn yourself into a monster. Collusion has its price, John, those who take a puff as an anti-drug statent are all Shark Coins."
"So you found out everything, but there’s nothing you can do about it?"
John asked.
The farm owner didn’t answer, remained silent for a long ti, and suddenly asked back, "Is Amade dead?"
"No."
"Alright, well done, I’ll give you a hush money, the rest goes as agreed earlier, can I supply you with als later?"
"No problem."
"If you want to eat sothing good, contact Angelica, whether it’s door delivery or fresh express, no problem."
The farm owner’s gaze turned sharp again.
He was about to make another call.
Regardless, last night’s attack touched his bottom line, both politically and militarily, he must retaliate.
It will definitely lead to more dirty work.
Including assassinations and comrcial intelligence theft.
Now that the farm owner heard Amade was alive, he knew John had his own code of conduct.
Those dirty, tiring jobs might not be accepted.
John wasn’t burdened by morals.
He’s just been too exhausted these days, and his earnings are enough to cover his current expenses, no need to push himself to death.
He got the money and got up to leave.
Angelica joined him in the elevator.
[Side Quest: City Farm (Completed)]
[Reward: Exclusive Channel [Angelica], Compensation]
Buzz——
The roar of the hovercar exploded in the West District.
The industrial zone was back to being busy.
The noise from all sorts of large equipnt seeped through the concrete walls, and the air was filled with a pungent sll.
Red lights were flashing.
The hydraulic ports of the large transport vehicles were wheezing and panting.
John glanced at a billboard nearby.
In the lower right corner of the glass screen, there was so vomit that hadn’t dried yet.
The city worker in the image was urging citizens to undergo respiratory system modifications.
"Green light, aren’t we going?"
Angelica hugged John. "What are you thinking about?"
"The food you gave and Gino, was it mixed at or pure at?"
"Mixed at."
"Hmm... were you experinting?"
John was riding the bike, unable to hear a response or turn back to see Angelica’s expression.
He assud silence was the answer.
Angelica said, "I know Amade, I’ve seen the content in the chip."
"What? F*ck, then you should have handed it directly to the farm owner, saving a trip to deliver him a bullet!"
"Would the farm owner believe it?"
Angelica countered, "There would still be probing, they’d send other rcenaries to interrogate Amade, but I hoped it was you, so Amade’s chances of survival are higher."
"Are you betting on my moral limit?"
"No, morals are a derogatory term, it should be called a style of action. I like the way you work, how to say... it’s quite cute."
Angelica pressed even closer.
Her hands and feet beca a bit unruly.
[Eden City - Bolago Club Parking Lot]
"Running day and night, only to find that no one in the street mix has an honest mouth."
John picked up his bag to leave.
Beep, beep beep.
The tal door of the garage closed shut.
He turned around.
Angelica stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, gently pushing him back against the door, squinting her eyes, revealing her signature smile.
"So angry?"
She had teased John more than once or twice.
"Co with ."
The elevator led straight to her door.
Angelica’s room was in the adjacent building, similar in layout to John’s apartnt, exuding a faint sll of alcohol and an indescribable fragrance.
She pulled up the curtains.
The lighting was adjusted to be very soft; it was clear enough to see the room’s layout, yet it felt sowhat dim.
She kicked off her shoes, tossed John’s bag aside, and led him straight to the bed in the bedroom.
John was woozy, hearing a drawer being pulled open.
He thought it would be safety asures, but instead found himself holding a carbon fiber-cased player.
Above there was a large rendering device.
Angelica humd a song.
John chuckled wryly, shaking his head.
"Just this... watch a movie together with you?"
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