Chapter 1416 - 459: Price_3

Chapter 1416: Chapter 459: Price_3

The foreman started turning over the bodies of his fellow workers again, pulling a brand new hundred-dollar bill and a roll of wrinkled change from the other’s pocket.

"Heh heh."

He had watched TV. That sucker gave each of these workers a hundred dollars. Although the US Dollar isn’t as strong as the Orokin was before, even a skinny mosquito is still meat.

"Hand over all the money to me, this is evidence of your crime, accepting bribes illegally, understand?"

The foreman’s triumphant voice was nauseating. He certainly didn’t dare to defy Lin Miao, but the gang behind him had spoken. Being an accomplice for so many years, he dared not disobey.

Upon hearing that they needed to hand over the money, the workers were even angrier, but it was futile. They were surrounded by gang members with far greater numbers, who also had weapons and guns. Even with all the anger in the world, they could only swallow it bitterly and threw the money onto the ground.

All participants in the meeting were threatened with retaliation.

The Detroit police department mobilized its entire force, sweeping homeless people and veterans off the streets, claiming they were disturbing public order and affecting the city’s image, intending to throw them all in jail.

When it comes to suppressing civilians, the US police are professionals.

Although there’s no clear statement of standing against Lin Miao, everything happening in Detroit made it obvious they intended to carry the struggle to the end.

For a time, everyone in Detroit was on edge, as if the flame of hope just ignited by Lin Miao was about to be extinguished.

The three big car companies have ruled Detroit for half a century; how could they willingly hand power back to the New United States Government?

"Fuck! Those bastards!"

Just returning to the Efficiency Department, not yet having a chance to catch his breath, Pan’an learned about these matters from his colleagues.

The people who attended the meeting suffered heavy casualties, almost simultaneously attacked and threatened. It was clearly premeditated on the other side.

An enraged Pan’an grabbed a gun and was about to rush out of the Efficiency Department, but Lin Miao blocked him at the door.

"Where are you going?"

Pan’an, still fuming, pushed Lin Miao, but it felt like pressing against a wall; the other didn’t budge an inch.

"I’m going to help them!"

"Help them? How? Go to the company with this gun and court death?"

Lin Miao snatched the gun from Pan’an’s hand and shoved him back into the office.

Pan’an glared at Lin Miao.

"Are you just going to sit here and watch? You weren’t like this in Night City."

Pan’an remembered vividly how these people dared to stand against Huang Ban for the sake of strangers in the Watson District.

General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler together couldn’t compare to Huang Ban, so there was no way Lin Miao was afraid of them.

"This is a different matter. Just because something can be done in Night City doesn’t mean it can be done in Detroit."

Night City was the primary activity area for Lin Miao and the players; he could handle the follow-up issues there.

But Detroit was different; Lin Miao couldn’t stay there indefinitely, nor were there players present.

"You save them this time, but what about next time? The time after that? There’ll always be times you’re not around, people you can’t help, situations you can’t handle."

Pan’an remained dissatisfied. Her simple morality told her that many people were currently being oppressed by the companies, and if she sat here idly, how was she any different from those company politicians?

Seeing her anger unabated, Lin Miao could only speak softly,

"Do you remember why I said everyone should understand politics?"

"Because only after understanding politics, can you grasp the world’s operating logic. You can understand that in this world, no one is responsible for you; the only person who can be is yourself."

"If you’re not willing to stand up for your own interests, always relying on others, you’ll live your whole life as a slave, driven by others."

GM and Ford are not Huang Ban. They’re neither a security company nor a prosthetic producer. They don’t have so much military power, nor can they shut down everyone’s prosthetics with a single command. Their suppression over the city isn’t as strong as Night City’s numerous corporations.

And as a large industrial city, Detroit’s working class is colossal in number. It’s just that the vertically cut social order keeps them independent of each other, making it difficult to unite.

Lin Miao has already clearly stated his position to them. As long as someone wants to resist, they’ll naturally know whom to find during this time.

And it’s not like there are no tools for unification. Anyone who knows Lin Miao should know about software called the Voice of the Horizon.

But if Pan’an went out to make trouble right now, even if she didn’t do so deliberately, as long as there’s a hint of trouble, public opinion would quickly evolve into accusing the Efficiency Department of shooting company employees, threatening enterprises and workers.

Not everyone needs to believe it; as long as some do, they’ll act to hinder the unity of the mass’s strength.

Pan’an stared at Lin Miao intently; she suddenly found the man in front of her to be a stranger, only speaking after several seconds,

"You knew from the start those companies would do this, didn’t you?"

"They only have a few tricks to play; it’s not hard to guess."

"Then why didn’t you warn them, even if it’s just to prepare a little..."

"Blood shed with forewarning is always cheap."

"Does learning that political crap mean becoming like you are now?"

"You can’t beat them without being as dark-hearted, Pan’an. The means doesn’t matter; the purpose and result are what’s important."

"Some costs must be paid. If you seek shortcuts now, in the future, the price will be tenfold."

"What if that cost was you? Would you still speak so lightly?"

"I’ve been a chip on the table since the beginning, never left it."