[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer":3,"chapter-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-371":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Cyberpunk: Cross-dimensional Science and Engineering",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1151862,1495,"Chapter 371 - 343 Trade Protection Law of Six Street Gang","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-371",371,"\u003Cp>By evening, Lille arrived at the Aloroy industrial park as scheduled, to collect money and also because he was quite interested in this group of mercenaries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Transfer: +40,000 Euros]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Balance: 50,000 Euros]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sergeant: Still impressively professional, wait a moment for me.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seated on a folding chair, the sergeant rested his legs on an ammo box, arms crossed over his chest, still in the same black combat gear he’d worn during the day, with blood not yet washed off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was clearly very angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After making the payment, he spit, and the spittle mixed with the blood on the ground as he continued to stare at the person in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You motherfuckers don’t know to notify me first? And you’re still doing business with him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of him, five people knelt, tightly bound together, one of whom, in a suit and leather shoes, probably used to hold a position of status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now he was covered in dust and grime, half of his face swollen, still bleeding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to him were what looked like hotel receptionists, technicians, and janitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These ordinary people shook with fright. The man in the suit wasn’t much better off, looking like he wanted to talk back but was too scared to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I asked you a question!\" The sergeant immediately chambered a round and pointed his gun at the man in the suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They said they were just here to sell stuff, cheaper than the market price. I was vigilant, but they... they came with guns!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dammit, what the fuck could I do! They came with guns! They came with guns!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah yeah yeah, came with guns! I’ve got a gun too! Not only do I have a gun, but now I’m gonna kill your stupid ass!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the sergeant stuffed the gun barrel into the man in the suit’s mouth. Tears suddenly burst forth from his eyes as he looked fearfully at the sergeant, shaking his head slightly, his teeth trembling, grinding against the gun, producing a piercing squeak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then everyone began to smell a strong odor of urine...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an awkward stand-off, the sergeant withdrew the gun barrel, and the man in the suit began to vomit on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disgusted, he withdrew his legs, then signaled his men to get on with it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A member from the Six Street Gang administered an injection with an air gun, and the vomiting stopped immediately, though it made him look even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After what’s happened, what do you think should be done?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man in the suit nodded again and again, \"I understand, I understand. I’ll raise the share of the hotel’s revenue for you guys by another 20%, I’ll take 30%...20%—10%!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, get lost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The electronic lock opened automatically, and the man in the suit got up shakily, fell again, and completely ignored how the weaker employees behind him fared as he limped towards the door and ran off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The employees collapsed on the ground, looking at the fully armed members of the Six Street Gang surrounding them, feeling the stench of blood in the room, their legs giving out from fear!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the first employee managed to stand up and stumbled away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the first one ran off, the psychological pressure on the rest intensified, and they became even more panicked on the ground, struggling to even stand up!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place seemed to have turned into a silent hell, the pressure threatening to make their hearts burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one cared about that anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant stood up and walked towards the adjacent room used for discussions—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re a real lifesaver, Burger King...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>V and Jack raised their eyebrows, as if to say: Just him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the sergeant corrected himself: \"...Doing business with stupid bigshots, all of you are my lifesavers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille said, \"Hotel owner?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right,\" the sergeant nodded and sat down in front of Lille, speaking with frustration, \"Fuck their corporate lapdog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fucker used to work at Ye’s Company, got some money, and greased some palms to open a hotel in Saint Domingo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He claims it’s all about providing a warm, quiet, high-end hotel service for professionals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mercenaries had been staying at the hotel for ages, even making sales pitches! And this fucker didn’t let me know!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t he think, could he even run this so-called high-end hotel without me keeping the peace for him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was only taking 50% for protection! Is that too much? Is that too much?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>V laughed, \"What do you think? His hotel costs have shot up by 50%, and now he’s only left with 10%.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Without me covering his ass, he can’t run shit...\" The sergeant then looked at Jack, \"Didn’t you used to hang around with Valentino? Valentino takes a much higher cut than me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re talking crap, Valentino...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Jack could begin his rant, the sergeant nodded frantically: \"Ah right right right, Valentino doesn’t take a cut, just have to speak Spanish, be of Mexican heritage, be good to their own, and maybe get a discount meal from time to time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To do business, you’d have to be reborn—otherwise, you’re just running into Valentinos demanding money for your blood ties every day. You don’t think they take less than me, do you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Racist bastards...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem.\" Lille coughed as Jack looked about ready to explode, interrupting the sergeant, \"That’s enough. You don’t really think buying an old American citizenship is much better, do you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s wrong with the American spirit? It’s open and diverse, as long as you pay taxes, any ethnic group can do business here...uh, off-topic, you’re right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it wasn’t just Jack with a bad look in his eyes; Lille’s gaze was becoming stern too: Get to the point quickly, don’t waste time bullshitting around here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant hurriedly got back on topic: \"I asked around, and they say these mercenaries might be from outside, their equipment... also from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With them doing this, business in Saint Domingo isn’t going to last, so I want to issue a commission to you. It’s good money, you name the price.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I name it? Last time getting that cannon sorted for you cost 300,000, and this time the opposition is flying the Six Street Gang’s colors, so a base of 300,000 can’t be too unreasonable, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant paused thoughtfully: although he was duped by Lille last time, it wasn’t unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure was quite fair for the job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, the number of mercenaries on the other side isn’t complete, they’re fully armed, and they’re carrying pressed-action sniper rifles–extremely dangerous. It wouldn’t be excessive to add 200,000, would it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant had a moment of realization and his complexion changed drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Armed with an anti-armor sniper rifle, still in hiding, you don’t have even a shred of useful intelligence, and you have to start from scratch. Another 300,000 wouldn’t be unreasonable, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You might as well just go rob someone!\" After venting his frustration, the sergeant adopted a \"please-do-me-a-favor\" expression and pleaded, \"Big brother, we’re truly out of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I won’t do the math for you; you’re smarter than I am. You know I’m not lying to you. Offering you 500,000 is already the last of our reserves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or would you be willing to take credit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these words, the sergeant even turned his pockets inside out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the sergeant said was actually quite heartfelt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a gang, getting attacked at their home base was already a terrifying affair. If their entire gang were to list it, the losses would all be reflected in the stock market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a level of loss is akin to an automotive company announcing a production halt, an electronics firm declaring a recall, or the auditing industry being caught in a debt crisis...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, after Lille had beaten him up, he’d also faced an internal power struggle. His strength was already waning, and he hadn’t even had the chance to hire people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Adkaduo took over the territory, employed quite a few workers, and even started workshops—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t dare go there to collect money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The business of the Six Street Gang was indeed at an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was this incident that threatened the entire gang and allowed him to use public funds, but it was impossible for him to cough up that much money from his own pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if you don’t think of me, wouldn’t you consider the people of Saint Domingo?\" the sergeant spread his hands, \"I know you might have an issue with scum like us, but without the Six Street Gang, do you expect the locals to rely on NCPD?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t really think you’re better than the NCPD, do you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won’t argue that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly honest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Six Street Gang rose to prominence because the local veterans, seeing the dire security situation in Saint Domingo, spontaneously organized a community \"charity\" security service.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They dealt with the unruly violent types, and such work requires payment, right? The neighbors, seeing the service they provided, were happy to pay them, as it was better than casting money into the NCPD pit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as time went on, the smarter violent types chose to join the gang, and the security fees became protection fees of a more sinister nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the locals being squeezed dry, they began targeting businesses, and gradually climbed up, evolving into what they are today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d engage in corruption, in unseemly activities, extreme partiality to their own members...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, if you compare, you’ll find the NCPD is pretty much the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps, for some reasons, there are some good cops left inside the NCPD, but the good ones are limited, and their numbers even fewer, certainly not much better than the Six Street Gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people and events of this world always seem to be so unreasonable: a blade of grass sprouts from poor, harsh soil, and people hope it will protect the plants around it, improve the environment a bit, so that one day some useful crops can be grown, beautiful flowers bloomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as it grows, it becomes weeds, thistles, dominating what can and can’t be planted on that land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille leaned forward slightly, \"With that in mind... I have another question, did you say the motel owner bought something from them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, he bought these.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant shared the list of items with Lille.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most items on the list were daily necessities, things a motel might need, though the brands were still rare in Night City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All from European companies, imported goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In addition to those, there were prosthetics clinics, arms... sigh, basically everything you could imagine, they claimed to have better suppliers who can sell to these kids at low prices.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the area of medical products, because of the heist at Burger King, and the major incident that followed, Biotechnology people didn’t dare continue cooperating with the Six Street Gang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>or the sergeant could concede some benefits, but by doing so, it’d be hard to swiftly recover the gang, leading to reduced inventory, failing to meet the demands of Saint Domingo, naturally allowing rebels to take advantage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation was about the same for other supply channels, all linked to the hit on the gang’s reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant, despite racking his brains, couldn’t figure out who was offering low-priced goods and through those brainless rebels at that; he simply sensed this was no trivial matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>V caught the main point, \"So aside from collecting protection fees, you also restrict others from buying freely. If their business can’t proceed, how do they pay you protection fees?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I... I did that also to protect local businesses, trade protection, you get it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he was still protecting himself, because if these industries could get what they couldn’t from the sergeant elsewhere, no matter how tough they were, they wouldn’t last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a societal level, following the tough guys might help you survive in the short term, but in the long run, you would lose future prospects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But following someone who had supplies and the muscle, that’s the real chance at not only survival but also long-term development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this wasn’t just simple gang infighting, it was likely an external company wanting to uphold a distribution channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only by earning from the target market could they overcome the high costs of operating as an overseas enterprise and establish a local branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was European companies marketing products.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"500,000, it’s not impossible, but I have a few conditions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What conditions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, for the job of taking out the mercenaries, I need your cooperation. Second, about your trade protection law, protect me, and I’ll handle your distribution.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2107,"2026-06-03T12:33:12.909Z","2026-06-03T12:33:19.803Z",1,"novelbin.me","9643908c71d2052f9af2ec80707424bb5e0c3c2fa08115fc10f97c01f4bd5117","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-372","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-370",1068,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cover.jpg"]