Players Invade Cyberpunk-Chapter 904 - 292: New Western Vocational and Technical College

"What if I refuse?"

Lucius's words were clearly not enough to persuade Jefferson.

No matter if his thoughts were from his heart or instilled by someone else, Jefferson couldn't bear to watch all this happen.

"Night City was established almost ninety years ago, Jefferson, and we've faced worse situations than this."

Lucius really thought highly of Jefferson, this young senator with drive, reason, and not lacking in ability. The Horizon Corporation he connected with had surged forward in the first half of the year, providing thousands of jobs for Night City and was still growing rapidly. It also recently resolved the Netherworld Dog problem in Dog Town.

Though some discordant incidents occurred during the process, making Lucius break into a sweat several times, being able to excise those tumors was a good thing for both Night City and its citizens.

It's truly a pity if someone like him were to die.

"Do you know? In those ten years after the nuclear explosion, Night City was in an era of paralysis. Government agencies shut down, companies withdrew investment, the sky was perpetually shrouded in a red haze from radioactive dust, hundreds of cargo ships remained in port because stray AI kept them from venturing into the sea, and millions of tons of goods rotted and rusted in warehouses with no one caring about the local people's lives or deaths..."

Lucius's tone was indifferent yet tinged with nostalgia, as if reminiscing about an unforgettable childhood time. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"These companies left a mess, then patted their butts and abandoned us in the rubble. It was the people of Night City who cleared the city brick by brick."

Any resident who grew up in Night City would never speak ill of Lucius because they watched with their own eyes how this city transformed from a pile of rubble back into the Neon Capital it once was.

"As soon as there's some improvement, the companies are like pigs that see bread crumbs, immediately scrambling to get in. Then came the metal war, and I ultimately had to swallow my pride and bring Huang Ban back to Night City to fight New America..."

Lucius looked at the silent Jefferson.

"I have stronger feelings for this city than you do, Jefferson. Even if there really is a nuclear leak, Night City's history has seen far worse situations."

"You don't know how much stuff is buried underground in this city. Once this gets exposed, we'd have to launch an investigation, some people would fan the flames, while others would desperately try to stop it..."

"Do you know the number of suspects possibly causing this accident underground in Night City? I can tell you it's no less than three. Do you know how many companies might be involved? Seven."

"A small leak can trigger a series of terrifying events, ultimately destroying the city we worked so hard to build to bits."

"Never uncover old scars because you don't know what's hidden beneath."

"But those residents by the sea..."

"Leukemia doesn't kill people, Jefferson. It's 2076 now; even cancer can be cured. But those who die in a riot can't be brought back."

Lucius didn't articulate the most crucial point.

That is, even if thousands of people die by the seaside, the losses can't match the cost of maintaining a nuclear leak.

Moreover, those dirty things are still in the sea. The seawater will dilute the pollutants, at most ruining the area of Taiping Continent, but Taiping Continent never belonged to the government initially, so in any calculation, the government doesn't lose anything.

As for poor people who can't afford treatment, they were always a burden to Night City. If they die, they die. Would anyone spare a glance for the homeless dying on Night City's streets daily?

————

Destruction is always easy; the real challenge is rebuilding.

This holds true both in reality and in abstract concepts.

Players smashed up dozens of gang bars and clubs, killing more than two thousand gang members, all of whom were core gang elements. The scattered gang affiliates who ran away, including their kin, numbered at least close to one hundred thousand. That day, the entire street of Night City was filled with the scent of blood.

A gang of this scale would have been called warlords in the past.

No wonder gangs could rule over Night City's underbelly.

They just ran into madmen blacker than themselves, getting hit back in kind.

Players enjoyed the satisfying spree, but the subsequent troubles weren't lessened at all.

The Stone Ridge Mountain Industrial Zone is expanding every day, with incinerators, plastic recycling plants, and steel smelting... a large mass of factories are starting operations, having to assemble prefabricated panel buildings, there's barely any space left for educational purposes, and now suddenly there are thousands of new trainees coming, forcing Lin Miao to ask the Adcardo side to leave a large enough space for these incoming ladies to use.

Colorful flags flutter on both sides, with a banner swaying in the middle. Over a dozen players assigned to the reception task stand or sit in disregard.

"How many have arrived by now?"

Revolver Quack leans against the fence, puffing away. He's smoking an electronic cigarette, a Rake Fifth Gen.

Since addiction or excessive pleasure is impossible, he's just smoking for fun, enjoying the simple delight.

West Fire Grass: "Over there they said the first bus has 47 people, most of them are men."

"Out of 2472, only 47 arrived? Why does it feel like we're on some kind of Lion Camel Ridge here? And there are men... I was hoping to see more pretty girls."

Revolver Quack was greatly disappointed; he fought hard to grab this task upon hearing a thousand and more girls were expected to arrive.

Wheelchair Sprint cursed the Quack:

"You damned bastard, can you stop being so sleazy? I think you're the real Tooth Star here."