In American comics, all your teammates are the main characters and bosses

Chapter 154: There is always someone to help you become famous

Back in the apartment building in Santo Domingo, David first injected Gloria with a sedative according to the doctor's orders, then carefully placed her on the bed, and then went to the living room and looked at Armstrong.

After this series of setbacks, David has also grown up a bit. Although there is still a little innocence and vitality in his eyes, there is more of an unspeakable heaviness.

"Um... Armstrong, sir?"

"Just call me Armstrong. No need to add Mr.

Leaning on the sofa, Armstrong lit a cigar and looked very easy-going.

"Being chosen by the group system proves that you must have some qualities that are far superior to ordinary people. Although these qualities have not yet been revealed, there is no doubt that you already have the opportunity to become a strong person."

With a smile on his face, Armstrong was not affected by the series of events that happened today.

"Or, what are you worried about?"

"Well... a little bit." David scratched his head and said, "For example, Trauma Squad International. Although you are very powerful, Mr. Armstrong, it is only a small team that showed up today. And they have already locked my credit chip. How about... we leave here first?"

David said: "As for the chip lock, I can ask other people in the group. It shouldn't be difficult to unlock it."

"..."

After hearing David's words, the smile on Armstrong's face froze at first, then slowly disappeared.

Looking at David, after a moment of silence, Armstrong stood up and walked to the huge French window of the apartment. The reason why the French window here is so huge and has a good view is not because the real estate developers here have a change of heart, but to lay a giant screen to facilitate advertising and seek more profits.

Based on this, the scenery outside the window is definitely not good. In fact, everywhere you can see with the naked eye are dirty and messy slums, ruins, and even warehouses. Almost every night, there will be intense and powerful noises, accompanied by the harsh noise of the advertising screen.

To be fair, David's apartment looks pretty good. Although it is a cyberpunk world, it is completely different from the cramped and crowded Kowloon Walled City where cyberpunk originated. There is a separate bathroom, kitchen, clean water, and vending machines within reach...

But it's all based on money.

In the endless skyscrapers of Night City, each of them has hundreds of apartments carved out of the same mold. Just one building can accommodate tens of thousands of people, like a pigeon coop.

"Do you still remember your dream? To put Arasaka Tower under your feet."

Armstrong said expressionlessly: "I like strong people, especially those who have climbed up step by step from the bottom. In fact, I know very well that this process will be extremely cruel, because not everyone can discover their potential. More often than not, those who have the potential have died in accidents before they can discover their talents."

"So, if you want to become a strong man, you must first become a desperado."

Armstrong spoke out his deepest thoughts, just like the two organizations he had established in the original world. One is the "World Marshal" company that regards war as a business and conducts transactions, and the other is the "Desperado" organization that takes the strong into its pockets.

"So, David, I won't stop you from taking any path you choose. Likewise, if we disagree, then we'll just part ways."

Armstrong said with a smile: "As for the world virus...when I become the master of Night City, no, I should say the master of the world, all problems will be solved."

Compared to David, Armstrong has not forgotten his mission - to find the world virus that has begun to parasitize this world. Although he does not know what the world virus is, it does not matter. As long as he can realize his ideal in the process, it is enough.

After hearing Armstrong's words, David fell into a long silence. Finally, after a long while, David gritted his teeth and said with determination in his eyes:
"I don't want to be a rat in the gutter! I want to climb Arasaka Tower. I want to stand on the top of Arasaka Tower!"

Hearing this, Armstrong just nodded with satisfaction, then turned around and said:
"That's enough. Have a good rest. There are still many days to come."

Armstrong thought - how long should it take to become the master of this place? A year? Or a month? In any case, it would take too long, and there was no need for it.

After all, the essence of all rules is mutual compromise. It's just that the strong compromise with the strong, and the weak compromise with the weak. The strong enslave the weak, and the weak flatter the strong - absolute fairness does not exist, and the law itself is a silent tyranny.

But why should the strong compromise with the strong?

Because he doesn't have absolutely overwhelming power.

Unable to bear the cost of completely destroying the other party...

but I do not have.

With a cigar in hand, Armstrong gazed at the lights and nightlife of Night City after dark - Armstrong was a man with clear cognition. Similarly, Armstrong was also very clear that he came to this world without any pressure or burden.

Maybe David was a bond? But this bond was too fragile. Although it was a bit strange to say this, the reason why Armstrong valued David was because David had potential. But based on this, even if David really died, Armstrong would at most just sigh that David was unlucky.

As for the rest, neither sadness nor anger will be generated much.

In the final analysis, in Armstrong's original thoughts and plans, he had not considered anything about David... because when David is strong enough, he will naturally appear by Armstrong's side, whether as an enemy or a friend.

Similarly, because of this overwhelming strength, Armstrong knew that the so-called rules of Night City had no effect on him at all.

Trauma Squad International, Six Street Gang… He nodded thoughtfully, but in the end, Armstrong exhaled a puff of turbid smoke indifferently.

"I hope they can have fewer deaths so they don't have to waste time replenishing manpower."

Muttering to himself, Armstrong did not mourn for the people who were about to die, but was just thinking about how to complete all his plans as quickly as possible.

Just as David and Armstrong began to rest, a different wind blew in Night City.

In a place like Night City, it is normal to have combat casualties. Not to mention companies like Trauma International that provide security, even giant companies like Arasaka, Tokon, and Militech will also have a large number of combat and non-combat casualties in Night City.

But who are the people who cause the reduction in personnel? Either gang members who rely on big trees to enjoy the shade, or cyber wanderers who don't care about their identities at all and hide in the streets all day long.

But do they hide their identities because they want to? No, it’s because their IDs have been locked. Once discovered, they will face the company’s troops that will descend from the sky.

As Trauma Squad International is well-known for providing private security, it is natural that they will not give up easily when encountering something like this.

Night City is a local area network, with a large number of criminals. Except for the internal networks of giant companies, most of the network data here is open and transparent. The battle on the viaduct was broadcast live through hacked cameras before it was over. Although most people were watching the excitement, the impact on Trauma Squad International was more than that.

As the live broadcast ended, in the conference room, a trauma team manager from Night City International, whose body was only slightly modified, said calmly, "The platinum member in the video missed the best time for rescue due to the accident and died from excessive blood loss. After this video was circulated, many platinum members who knew about it have made large-scale complaints and demanded that if it is not properly handled, they will terminate the service and demand a refund on the grounds of 'failure to provide the protection agreement in the contract.'"

After hearing the words of this executive, other heads of departments also whispered and discussed. Finally, the head of the security department asked: "Then follow the emergency plan, carry out countermeasures in the shortest time possible, stabilize the customer base, and then pay the information disseminator a hush money."

The security director said it bluntly, but other department executives snorted in disdain:
"I have no objection to launching the emergency plan, but the main reason for this incident is that the security specialist launched the attack without authorization. Whoever caused it should solve it. This hush money has nothing to do with my propaganda department."

"The medical department seconded the proposal, and our emergency specialists quickly regained their sanity after the conflict broke out and stopped the possibility of further conflict. I think the main reason is focused on the security department, so the hush money issue has nothing to do with us."

"..."

As the executives of Trauma International's Night City branch argued fiercely, no one cared about the unexpected deaths, but instead focused on which department should bear the primary responsibility.

This is also the norm for giant companies. Because Trauma International has encountered many unexpected events in its development. Similar emergency plans are so thick that a book can be published to explain them in detail.

Therefore, there is no need to discuss the handling method too much. The main reason why they held a meeting here in the middle of the night was the issue of their own interests in this incident.

The next morning, accompanied by the irritating ringing of the phone, David, who had just gone to bed at around two in the morning, rubbed his sleepy eyes and climbed out of bed.

Because of running back and forth, it was already very late when he got home yesterday. Exhausted both physically and mentally, David didn't even have time to wash up. Now, he hurriedly got up, confirmed that his mother was still sleeping soundly and her physiological signs were stable, and he breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to wash up.

"Should I go to school today? If I go, who will take care of my mother? Can I ask Mr. Armstrong? Hmm... It seems a bit difficult..."

After staying up all night, David felt dizzy and his mind was full of thoughts. On the way to the bathroom, he saw Armstrong standing in front of the French window and subconsciously greeted him:

"Good morning, Mr. Armstrong. How did you sleep last night?"

"Sleep? How can I sleep at a time like this?"

After hearing David's words, Armstrong smiled and said briskly:
"Trauma International's emergency plan is not bad, but it is indeed for the sake of making money. They could have launched the attack earlier, but they had to wait until daytime when everyone was awake, and conduct the trial while broadcasting live..."

"Trauma International? Live?!"

Hearing this, David felt a chill and then ran to Armstrong's side. He then looked with horror at the rescue platforms, security teams, and even various heavy firepower and heavily-armored tanks from Trauma International scattered below him.

"They, they...when did they come?!"

Pointing down, David's eyes were filled with fear - he was ready to become a desperado, but that didn't mean he was ready to die.

Faced with such a siege by an organized army, even if the legendary Adam's hammer came, he would have to kneel down and keep his tail between his legs, right?
"I came a long time ago, just when you fell asleep."

Armstrong lit a cigar nonchalantly and said leisurely:
"They were very careful. They asked everyone in the building to leave without waking you up, and then quietly blocked off the surrounding area until now. They wanted to restore the company's reputation to the greatest extent possible through live broadcast."

"Then, then why didn't you wake me up?! What about my mom?!"

"What's the point of waking them up? You can't escape anyway." Armstrong said indifferently, "As for now...just go down and surrender. Remember to carry your mother on your back, she is the victim. So they won't touch you. Cooperate well, admit your mistakes, and sever ties with me. They may even provide a considerable amount of compensation."

"So, what about you?"

Hearing this, David relaxed but did not intend to leave. Instead, he said, "Then what should you do?"

"There has to be someone to win back the customers, like me." Armstrong flicked the ash from his cigarette and said:
"Anyway, stay away and don't bother me here."

He subconsciously wanted to say something, but looking at the undisguised grin on Armstrong's face, and then at his mother who was still in a coma, David finally gritted his teeth, carried his mother on his back, and walked out of the building alone.

(End of this chapter)