Chapter 64: Your Circle Is So Chaotic!

Arthur decided it was time to bring a cyberpunk into the fold and have a real conversation with their boss about the meaning of work and getting paid in Night City.

But this city is a world of its own, and things never quite go as planned. In the original game plot, the workers wouldn't have dared to put up any real resistance.

When news of Michael's bankruptcy spread, the workers planned to send a representative to confront him and start a general strike at the factory. However, what they didn't expect was that the military technology personnel were already waiting for them.

The military tech people informed the workers that striking was illegal in this sector. They were ordered to return to their jobs and resume production immediately.

Angered and desperate, the workers took matters into their own hands, crafting makeshift weapons, planning to show the military tech people what real power looked like.

But when the military tech team arrived, they didn't play by the rules. Without hesitation, they pulled out 103s with 7.62 ammo and unleashed a brutal response.

Drones hovered above the factory, capturing everything. The bloodshed was so intense that it stained the factory floor. The violence didn't stop until the place fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional whirr of drones looking for survivors to finish off with a shot to the head.

It was a massacre.

Arthur, however, couldn't help but feel that the military tech people were too merciful. Why kill them? Where else would you find such devoted workers?

Night City was full of wild, unruly people who only thrived under the right conditions. If you gave them a little leeway, they would shine. These people deserved to stay alive and keep working, not be erased.

Since military tech didn't need them, maybe someone else would.

Most factories in Night City were automated, but there was still a demand for labor. Replacing every human worker with intelligent robots was too expensive.

Arthur was certain that other countries would need workers like these, even if military tech didn't appreciate them. There was no reason why he couldn't recruit some of these workers for himself.

Arthur's phone buzzed. It was the old captain.

"You did well this time," the old captain said, his voice gruff. "By the way, where's the mouse hiding?"

Arthur sighed. "I'm starting to question your credibility, old captain. The last mission had ties to military tech and biotech, and this one's even deeper than that!"

The old captain grew quiet. Arthur's tone had shifted, making him wonder if someone was trying to sabotage him. Why else would these missions be so complicated?

"Wait, North Oak?" the captain exclaimed, breaking the silence. "Arthur, you're crazy. If anyone else tried to get into that place, they'd have been caught in seconds. But you? You pulled it off without making a huge mess, right? I don't want the NCPD or someone like Ban coming to knock on my door asking questions."

Arthur smirked. "Relax. It wasn't a big deal. Michael's a bankrupt loser who couldn't even afford the security fees for North Oak. You'll probably see him begging in front of a bar in a few months."

"Ugh... Could you not phrase it like that?" the old captain groaned.

"I'm just using colorful language. You know how it is down there on the streets."

Arthur's voice softened as he continued. "By the way, this guy, Michael, he's got some serious mental health issues. He joined the Whirlpool Gang to cope, but it only made things worse. His brain is almost fried from all the stuff he's been putting in it. And from my experience as a former cyberpsychopath, I can tell he's heading straight for a meltdown."

The old captain was silent, taken aback by Arthur's words. Arthur had once been a cyberpsychopath himself and had received treatment for it. Now that he was cured, he could recognize the signs in others.

"Alright, alright. This time, I'll take the blame. The commission will be halved. But I won't make the same mistake again. As for the meeting with the workers, I'll arrange that. They need food, and this should go more smoothly now."

Arthur nodded. "Thanks, old captain. I appreciate it."

The captain hesitated before speaking again. "By the way, Arthur, if anything goes wrong, I hope you'll keep my name out of it. You know, for old time's sake."

Arthur chuckled. "Of course, captain. You've got a reputation to protect. Don't worry, I'm not going to throw you under the bus."

"Good."

Arthur hung up the phone and exhaled, relieved that the conversation was over. The old captain might have been a little more honest than the others, but he was still a middleman, just like the rest of them.

And in Night City, middlemen were nothing more than salesmen—except instead of selling products, they sold jobs and dirty work. Arthur didn't trust any of them, but he knew how to play the game.

He put the phone away and started the car, heading for the security checkpoint. When he reached the gate, he slowed down, rolled down the window, and tossed a cigarette to the security captain.

"Here, take one. You're working too hard, huh?"

The security captain caught the cigarette, eyeing Arthur with confusion. He glanced at Jack in the backseat, who was slumped and a little out of it after the effects of the medicine wore off.

Then something clicked in the security captain's mind, and he felt a strange sensation. A flash of insight hit him. Was it possible that Kerry had divorced his ex-wife because of some issue with his masculinity? Could it be that Kerry's struggles had led him to question his identity?

The security captain gasped, feeling as though he had unraveled a deep secret about himself—and about Kerry.

"Ugh... What am I thinking?" he muttered to himself, trying to shake off the bizarre thoughts.

But no matter how hard he tried to forget, he couldn't. The chaotic nature of Arthur and his crew had left a deep mark on him. This was the first time he had heard anything like it in his years of working as a security captain.

He couldn't help but wonder what other strange things he might uncover in the underbelly of Night City.

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