Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 864 - 704: Sin City_2

Chapter 864: Chapter 704: Sin City_2

Tsuchigumo took two steps forward, then stopped again.

She remembered the dream of the Golden Township again.

People say that those who dream of such a place become impatient for success, develop a thirst for wealth and Power, their temperament changes drastically, and they ultimately die in Zanges.

Tsuchigumo had undergone psychological defense training and should not be affected so deeply, yet now that craving began to surface.

It felt like standing on a ten-meter-high diving platform.

Jumping down would mean plunging into a boiling pot of oil, where she would be fried alive, facing a mountain of swords and a sea of flames, drowning all past leisure and peace.

But perhaps—

Could this also be a chance to break free from mediocrity?

"Tell me what to do," Tsuchigumo turned her head towards the Cyber Specter.

"You need to take me with you, explain my existence to your teammates, facilitating me to follow you all times, so that I can observe the situation in Zanges through Renwang Security Company," said the Cyber Specter simply.

To deceive everyone at Renwang Security and carry the Cyber Specter with her? Tsuchigumo felt uneasy.

From then on, whatever the Cyber Specter did, she would become its accomplice.

Even if one couldn’t become a legend personally, who wouldn’t want to be a part of a legendary tale?

"...Alright," Tsuchigumo nodded slowly.

She left the internet service center through the main entrance, boldly, leaving behind the Songhai Cyber’s billboards.

Tsuchigumo felt as if the entrance barrier, robot guards, and cameras had all become her friends, no longer intimidating, under the control of the Cyber Specter by her side.

On the street, rows of grayish-yellow trees lined up, and a few disfigured, modified people stood gloomily at the edge of the alleys, waiting to attack any lone citizens.

Tsuchigumo had to appear very tough to avoid being robbed by them.

"I remember those people underground...connected to the control hub with their brains...what happened to them?" Tsuchigumo suddenly recalled that eerie scene.

People were lying motionless on the platforms, their smooth cerebral cortex pierced with electrodes, connected to a central giant data processing center.

"They are staff of Songhai Cyber, they signed a contract to upload their consciousness to the network center, and left their bodies and brains in the facility, using their neurons as components to boost computing power, entrusting everything from flesh and blood to will to the company," explained the Cyber Specter.

"They sell themselves like this..."

"No, it’s also a form of employment. They work from 6 am until midnight, entertain themselves for 2 hours, then deep sleep for 4 hours. They have their own salary and annual bonus, totaling 600,000 Funds each year. This money is stored in overseas accounts, they control Synthetic Humans in other places via sensors, observing through cameras as Synthetic Humans eat, exercise, consume, socialize, thus satisfying their psyche, compensating for the regret of being trapped in the network center," the Cyber Specter explained.

"—It’s like playing The Sims, watching those little figures move around, traveling the world, while they themselves sit motionless. These employees do the same...their bodies and spirits trapped in the facility, and then they play with Synthetic Humans from other places," Tsuchigumo realized, "But how did you know?"

"I gave them an eternal paid vacation," said the Cyber Specter.

Tsuchigumo arrived at the gold shop on the street corner; a queue had already formed, the lucky ones bringing their personal items turned to gold for trade. A few mutated black security guards were patrolling nearby.

"We’ll have to wait for a bit..." Tsuchigumo queued.

"They are like beasts," the Cyber Specter looked at the black guards.

These black men were distorted in shape, clearly carrying the colors of animals, plants, or certain fantasy creatures.

The leader was 2.3 meters tall, with a broad back and bear-like waist, a huge jaw, and sharp teeth; the second had a sharp bird beak; the third had thick arms, his body stooped, and he moved forward using hands and feet, having completely transformed into a giant gorilla.

"This is due to the popular ’mutagens’ in Zanges," Tsuchigumo whispered to avoid being overheard by these men, "Mutagens are a terrifying genetic agent that rapidly induces people to develop mutation traits—beastly, avian, plant-like, twisting human genes into a complete mess. Rose Medicine Company, Namisis Group, Rainforest Wanwu Company, Jura Chemistry, and other famous pharmaceutical companies supply mutagens at very low prices, offering many packages. As long as you are willing to take them and cooperate, the companies provide subsidies."

"As experimental subjects for black people."

"You could say that...these drugs are chaotically circulated in Zanges; it’s said that the companies have added extra marking functions to the genes in the drugs after sequencing projects so that only people of color are significantly affected, thus preventing white people from being harmed by these mutagens."

"Some giant corporations have jointly sequenced human genes, declaring it top secret."

"Which... I have no idea what they’ve discovered in the genes, but this kind of genetic mutation technology is also proprietary to the companies. Everyone is happy to use mutagens, which, combined with implants, can turn a person into... something more bizarre but also more powerful, ultimately just to find a job." Tsuchigumo slowly said.

Gotham, the city of sin.

Behind Tsuchigumo, the huge appendages didn’t seem out of place here, as many black people had mutated into spider claws after using arachnid mutagens.

Rich people rely on technology, poor people rely on mutations.

The customer service reps from the big corporations would eagerly follow up with these lower-class Zanges citizens who consumed the mutagens, collecting firsthand intelligence from them. They were also quite willing to sign long-term contracts to continue using mutagens in exchange for some money to relieve their immediate financial pressure.

"News reports, many high-quality mutants have mysteriously disappeared," Cyber Specter said.

"They must’ve been snatched back to the labs for slicing. It’s said that the ultimate goal of these companies is to develop a ’new human’ mutagen, and once it hits the market, the difference between the rich and the common folks won’t just be in the implants, but there’ll also be a significant disparity in physical capability," Tsuchigumo sighed.

After speaking, it was Tsuchigumo’s turn at the gold shop’s exchange counter.

She went to exchange her gold slippers, and after weighing and verifying them, the clerk prepared to pay Tsuchigumo at a rate of 350 per gram.

"Wasn’t it 400 just this morning?" Tsuchigumo asked, puzzled.

"New rules from Zanges, you must have a discount exchange certificate to trade at the day’s gold price; otherwise, it’s only 350," the clerk disclosed indifferently.

"Where do I get this certificate?" Tsuchigumo complained.

She reached out to take back her gold slippers, but the clerk deftly blocked her from the footwear.

"Different companies are different; some issue them to senior employees, some issue them to management," the clerk said.

"I don’t work for a company," Tsuchigumo said.

"That’s not my problem. The rules are what they are, ordered by Overseer Keith. You better exchange now, others are getting anxious behind you," the clerk urged.

Tsuchigumo turned and saw a black person behind her, eyeing her with a pure gold cleaver in hand.

She sighed, accepted the transaction, and walked away with 17,500 in Funds.

"Overseer Keith is the ruler of Zanges," Cyber Specter followed by Tsuchigumo’s side.

"Keith is a conqueror from Britannia, who led his intercontinental Mercenaries legion to invade and plunder Zanges. He defeated the Songhai Cyber Corporation’s defensive forces here, announced an open reciprocity strategy for Zanges, inviting investments worldwide in his ’New World’... and that’s how we got the Zanges of today..." Tsuchigumo muttered while absentmindedly checking the Funds on her card.

"Still worried about the gold thing?" Cyber Specter asked.

"I wanted to save a bit more, to retire on Jialong Slope with 2 million for an apartment would be perfect, I’m just 1.8 million short. Gold, my gold..." Tsuchigumo kept mumbling endlessly.

Although Cyber Specter was like a Phantom at her side, it didn’t sound scary when it spoke.

"Soon you will encounter something more valuable than gold—diamonds," Cyber Specter said.

"What... diamonds..." Tsuchigumo had heard about nearby diamond production but never thought she’d have anything to do with them.

About 10 seconds later, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She checked it and saw a message from the President, Standing Black Hat, assembling the team for an insurrection at a diamond mine.

"Ah... the miners from the Zanges Diamond Mine Area are rising up! They want freedom! Those black miners are asking for Renwang Security’s support, and after it’s done, you can take as many diamonds as you want! Did you see all this?" Tsuchigumo’s expression changed dramatically, and she quickly hailed Cyber Specter, hailing a cab to the outskirts meeting point.

"I’ll need some diamonds, too."

"You? An Artificial Intelligence? Diamonds..." Tsuchigumo puzzled.

"I don’t need diamonds, but they can serve as gifts. They are treasures in the eyes of the world," Cyber Specter said mysteriously.

Who would an Artificial Intelligence give diamonds to? Tsuchigumo was bewildered. And not "a diamond" but "some diamonds"; surely it’s not that even Artificial Intelligence would have multiple wives and concubines.