Chapter 100: Chapter 78: More Than I Can Handle_2
"..."
John was silent for a moment, 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 skimmed 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 mess.
John didn’t kill Amade.
This person was just a scatter supplier.
Left hand as a farmer, 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 mercenaries didn’t block him.
The sky gradually brightened.
The battlefield needed cleaning.
The mercenaries, positioned on the front line, had the inherent right to the first round of spoils.
After all, this was at the farmer’s doorstep.
To ensure the "garden" remained tidy, he outsourced all menial 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 equipment.
High-pressure water guns washed over the bloodied mud.
Workers extinguished the crackling flames among the remnants of buildings in order, organized the spoils, handled bodies, and dismantled unnecessary vehicles and firearms...
John entered the elevator.
The metal doors closed again.
The numbers flickered.
A while later, the door panel became transparent, revealing layer upon layer of fresh produce cultivation areas, while emotionless advertisements 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 farmer 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 times under my feet last night."
"Could the street racing gang get hover cars without serial numbers? They’re all lawless mercenaries."
"This isn’t over!"
"Pass my message, whoever touches my customer, I’ll rip their intestines out to feed the pigs."
John listened quietly, but couldn’t help thinking:
The farmer claims to protect clients, yet just moments ago, he didn’t hesitate to want Amade dead. When it came down to it, he was merely safeguarding the Radiant Dust Farm’s business.
John picked up the wine, poured himself a glass.
The farmer 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 farmer.
With her sitting there, there was no need for secrets.
John then pulled out a chip and tossed it onto the table, serving as supplementary evidence.
The room fell momentarily silent.
The farmer watched the footage seriously, then knit his brow and exhaled deeply.
Angelica said nothing.
She merely focused on John’s eyes.
The farmer 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 consume."
"Isn’t that trivial?"
John didn’t understand the implications.
"The chip should indicate how to transition from mixed products to pure meat, adjusting gradually."
The farmer 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 meet several assertive guys. To thrive in Eden City, you have to align with all sides’ interests and swallow the hardships."
The farmer closed his eyes.
"Starting with mixed meat would mean 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 farmer learned a lesson from the resistance at his private estate in Old America.
"If you want to become 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 statement 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 time, 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 meals later?"
"No problem."
"If you want to eat something 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 commercial 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 equipment seeped through the concrete walls, and the air was filled with a pungent smell.
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 some 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 me and Gino, was it mixed meat or pure meat?"
"Mixed meat."
"Hmm... were you experimenting?"
John was riding the bike, unable to hear a response or turn back to see Angelica’s expression.
He assumed 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 me a trip to deliver him a bullet!"
"Would the farm owner believe it?"
Angelica countered, "There would still be probing, they’d send other mercenaries 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 became 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 metal 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.
"Come with me."
The elevator led straight to her door.
Angelica’s room was in the adjacent building, similar in layout to John’s apartment, exuding a faint smell 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 somewhat 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 measures, but instead found himself holding a carbon fiber-cased player.
Above there was a large rendering device.
Angelica hummed a song.
John chuckled wryly, shaking his head.
"Just this... watch a movie together with you?"