Chapter 392 - 364 Mayor’s Visit

Mackinaw stopped at the curb, and unlike the legendary Mackinaw, this was just a standard enhanced version of the vehicle.

It looked nondescript at most, the shell a bit harder and the seats a bit softer.

Lille sat in the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut.

"Get in, you don’t want to be seen by passers-by, do you?"

The passenger side door opened, and entering wasn’t just anyone—it was Blais, the network monitoring liaison officer of the Burger King squad.

The vehicle’s electronic rearview mirror had already detected this agent under the "Sentry" mode of Little Octopus, and he had been waiting for some time.

This network monitoring agent looked even more haggard than before, indicating the recent changes in Night City had added to their workload, especially after yesterday’s massive blackout.

Saint Domingo is a poor area, but it also has operating industrial zones, so the economic loss caused by such a large-scale EMP is simply incalculable.

Those small companies and factories might not seem like much, but together they form crucial clients that provide profit for their parent companies.

And that parent company just happens to be Night City’s local heavy-hitter, Ye’s Company.

Blais pinched the bridge of his nose and lay back against Mackinaw’s seat, closing his eyes as if trying to relax his mind.

Lille glanced at him and could see many noticeable pinholes on his hands—

Bear in mind that high-quality pneumatic injectors use air pressure for injection, the liquid is pressurized into the skin and permeates the capillaries, essentially a no-needle injection.

As an agent of network monitoring, despite having spent a lot previously to hire Lille, Blais would absolutely not use substandard equipment.

But even so, his hands still showed holes from repeated injections, reflecting how frequently he must have been medicating himself lately.

Lille commented, "You seem to be working harder than us mercenaries, company dog."

Blais didn’t answer the question but instead praised the car.

"The seats in this car are nice, both wide and comfortable."

"Mackinaw’s advanced business seats, not something the average person can get."

No one would install such low cost-effectiveness features in a rugged, durable pickup truck.

"I see... so it’s exclusive for celebrities," Blais sighed, taking a small box of specially made chewing gum from his pocket and chewing it as he moved on to the main point:

"I want to see those mercenaries, how many are still alive?"

"Three."

"You really went all out on them," Blais exclaimed. "Now the insurance companies must be laughing all the way to the bank."

"They can still get insurance?" Lille was surprised. What company would dare to sell insurance to mercenaries?

Insurance business is a complicated process of actuarial science because the companies must ensure that the expected cost of the insured events is less than the insurance premiums paid.

However, risk is a hard thing to estimate accurately, so insurance companies prefer to have people with stable lives as customers. As for those already facing extreme risks, these situations are usually avoided like the plague.

It’s fair to say that high-risk insurance is a gamble, a gamble between the policyholder and the insurance company.

Blais shrugged, "Well... you know in Europe, the competition between companies is fierce, and there are many ways to cheat insurance companies.

But once I match their information, whatever insurance they bought becomes meaningless.

If you ever get the chance, you’ll encounter another kind of insurance aimed at top lone-wolf celebrities. It’s essentially betting on how long they can survive."

Lille nodded slightly: "Credit default swap?"

Blais looked surprised: "You know quite a lot. But that’s not what I came here to discuss. I want to dig out some things from their heads."

I know what you want to ask, so I’ll just come out with it: this is a demand from both Night City government and Ye’s Company.

Network monitoring’s law enforcement rights in North America are well recognized, and rights and obligations are relative; now Ye’s Company is demanding we fulfill our duties.

Man, the shittiest jobs are always like this. Ye’s Company hasn’t given us any log records, claiming it’s a company secret.

But they’re demanding we find the criminal and do it quickly, or else they’ll legally demand compensation from the Night City administration, and in the end, the money will come out of our pockets."

There’s still law?

Lille raised a doubt, "Hold on, isn’t network monitoring’s law enforcement in North America tacitly acknowledged? How are there still laws to rely on?"

"You see, this is where you misunderstand network monitoring," Blais explained. "The tacit acknowledgment was from many years ago, our network monitoring now acts strictly according to the law, especially here in Night City.

Mayor Ryan has given us a lot of power and support, but correspondingly we also have to bear responsibility for the losses caused by cybercrimes to other companies to a certain extent."

After the collapse of the old net, the corporate nature of network monitoring weakened infinitely compared to other enterprises, making people forget that it originally evolved from a cybersecurity company.

Today, for most people in Night City, their only impression of them is ’NCPD’s network technical support department’, with no idea what the hell the company is really doing.

Of course, the legal regulations are mostly just the corporations’ night pots, to be taken out and used when they feel like it, and the content inside is even more preposterous.

But overall, reading the legal regulations does help to understand some of the companies’ actions.

For instance, from only a few words from Blais, Lille can understand that Night City’s network monitoring department does indeed have to bear a significant responsibility for Ryan.

The Night City government isn’t as powerless under corporate pressure as the outside world spreads.

The law enforcement rights of the network monitoring were granted by Ryan, which seems to make it look like the network monitoring is responsible for other companies, but in fact, it’s also helping Ryan maintain his position.

All in all, Ryan has indeed bound the network monitoring to his side through political and economic means.

Lille pondered and said, "So this job is actually Ryan making you do it. Does he know you’ve come to me?"

Blais didn’t speak but looked ahead.

A stretched Alvarado from Villefort Company drove through the intersection.

"See that car? It looks ordinary, but the bulletproof components are all made of Arasaka Company’s top-notch single molecule armor, the tires are made from military technology’s battlefield-grade explosion-proof tires, the chassis...

You just need to know that it’s also fucking awesome. The cost and operating expenses are dozens of times more expensive than this Mackinaw you’re driving now, and it’s priceless.

In the whole Night City, there’s only this one."

Lille didn’t argue, as he probably knew who was inside the car.

The current Mayor, Luxius Lane.

The "heroic mayor" who led Night City through the Unification War, and also the "corporate lapdog" who allowed Arasaka to return to Night City.

Though this car looks ordinary, its estimated cost is likely more expensive than the "legendary" Mackinaw, and its safety level even higher.

Blais watched the car disappear into the distance, clearly relieved as the rest of the matter was his colleagues’ responsibility.

"Having such a big shot stepping out the door makes the whole department nervous—Still, congratulations to you, the big man is interested in you."

Lille started the car, making no comment on this statement.

"I can meet your demand, but have you prepared my compensation?"

"Of course," Blais said as he placed his hand on the window. "You’ve struck dogshit luck this time, the compensation is definitely worth it."

Lille didn’t take this talk seriously at all.

It’s bound to be more of the same ugly corporate style: whatever they give you in the end is just to make you work for them, and the compensation is no exception.