"Thatâs definitely cyberpsychosis. I heard Sylvan muttering incoherently about concepts like Machine Soul that made no sense.
He abused his position to alter the factoryâs operational mode, manually causing the flying steel accident, which led to the production line running at high speed uncontrollably with products flying around.
This entire set of actions requires... rationality? No, it should be âintelligenceâ to achieve. In other words, he has intelligence but lacks social restraint, which is classic psychosis."
Elliot explained slowly while Sevens listened intently:
"But saying it alone isnât enough. Do you have any concrete evidence? After all..."
"I really do! I found a work log in the factory. It recorded Sylvanâs gibberish and his communications with superiors. Digital signatures and stamps are on it, solid evidence."
Elliotâs prosthetic eye shimmered with a faint blue light as he reached out and pulled a chip from the brain-computer interface slot.
Seeing this, Sevensâ eyes lit upâan exaggerated gesture, not literally lighting up.
Feeling lucky.
Meanwhile, he couldnât help but admire Elliot inwardly: even in such circumstances, he remembered to mess with the factoryâs internal systems. This man is truly talented, greatly talented.
Such talentâinsidious yet strong, sly yet toughâcan think of future actions while under pressure, grabbing a potential get-out-of-jail-free card from the workplace...
More importantly, the company actually let him go, only offering him two thousand euros to get rid of him: either that company executive is incompetent or this guyâs cunning and insidiousness surpass the norm, and not even standard office software could recognize it.
People online often say their European Union officials are useless, whose daily work is reading chips and drinking purified water. Seems like this company has quite a few useless folks too.
Sevens took the chip and directly inserted it into the slot in the neck.
At this moment, Johnnyâs hologram appeared in the air, and it was clear he couldnât hold it anymore.
He enthusiastically moved to the back of Sevensâ sofa:
[Johnny: Such guts? Arenât you afraid thereâs a virus inside?]
[Lille: This isnât Night City; systemic logic for malicious murder cases is stronger, with cyberpsychosis murder cases being quite rare.]
[Johnny: Whatâs the logic in malicious murder being stronger? Isnât it just wanting to kill him, take his money, and then doing it?]
[Lille: Youâll have a sensory experience in the future. In general, living a teacherâs life is adhering to surface law, while intentional murder and malicious attacks follow the underground law. The surface law unloads on paper, and the underground law relies on personal trial.]
[Johnny: I see itâs plain that officialsâ capitalism protects these guys too well, making them lawless.]
Lille suddenly found the feeling of working with V again: damn, youâre talking about blatant, want-to-kill-and-do-it situations, yet you say others treating killing as a rarity is lawless?
Elliot began sweating: indeed, the old native of Night City across the ocean, as the web says, theyâre all genuinely alive without a doubt.
It seems ever since he met them, this old man with a silver arm has constantly been encouraging him to do people in?
In no time, Sevens finished reading all the information, and the glow in the prosthetic eye started to dim but didnât fade completely:
Checking digital encryption signatures, scanning for malware, and verifying if the prosthetic system is still operational can be done with the software built into the system.
"Tsk tsk... if thatâs the case, then the European Tunnel Company is indeed lawless, not only putting employeesâ life safety and social responsibility aside but also trying to dismiss you, a hero, with just two thousand euros...
Youâre a hero, Elliot; your coworkers are counting on you. You saved them and need to save them a second time."
Those words felt so rewarding that warmth flowed through Elliotâs heart: the praise he hoped to receive from the company was instead given by the European Union.
"How to save?"
Sevens smiled slightly: "The European Tunnel Companyâs performance is too poor, lacking empathy, and not adhering to labor regulatory law, failing to correctly prevent the emergence of cyberpsychosis.
I believe our department needs to reassess. Thereâs too much risk in entrusting them with the maintenance work of the English-French Channel.
With sufficient information and evidence, we can apply to higher authorities to relaunch the project, reallocating funds to more capable enterprises.
For the normal operation of the European Union and citizensâ safety... are you willing to be a witness?"
Elliot didnât hesitate: "Willing! This is exactly what Iâm here to do! That guy went too far; when do we begin?"
"No rush; the European Tunnel Company is a behemoth within the European Union. We need more evidence; a single witness isnât enough. Can you ensure bringing more witnesses?"
"Of course!" Elliot patted his chest, "My guess is everyone in the factory heard Sylvanâs crazy talk that day. That voice was terrifying.
I have good relationships with the factory folks, and I saved them; they trust me.
But you know, Boss, weâre just working people, seeking a meal and a peaceful life..."
Sevensâ smile became more apparent: "Heh, youâre no ordinary person, Elliot... your future is bright because of your benevolence, looking out for the workers.
These workers laid each brick for the company and built a solid foundation for the European Union.
Theyâre willing to point out the companyâs illegal practices for the European Union, and, naturally, the European Union will protect them as always.
I will apply to finance for a small fund to settle these workers, leaving full authority to you."
Elliot was first stunned, then visibly tense and excited: "Boss, can I... uh, I mean, how much funding do we have for this operation? You know, weâre all poor..."
"A total of 200,000 euros; not a small amount. Find a place to settle them; safety is paramount... Do you understand what I mean?"
[Transfer: +200,000 Euros]
[Account Balance: 204,220 Euros]
The 200,000 was transferred instantaneously, as if Elliotâs mind had been struck by a heavy hammerâ
In the European Union, a personâs lifetime earnings are about 400,000 euros; and at the European Tunnel Company, Elliot calculated how much someone of his level could earn in a lifetime, probably around 40 to 50 thousand.
Half a lifetimeâs money suddenly transferred into his account; thereâs a zero separating the fortune from his original savings, much like the insurmountable barrier between his original status and the world heâs about to enter.
That 200,000 was from Sevens, that 4,000 was hisâthe former mouths ânot a small amountâ needing upper-level allocation while casually transferring. God knows what account he transferred from;
The latter was painstakingly saved: not daring to live in a house with windows, not buying new clothes, purchasing nearly expired food and drink...
The former, verbally mindful yet actually supplementary; the latter, painstakingly all-inclusive, even including a sum earned by risking oneâs life.
This string of numbers seemed to remind him of reality: reality where Sevens claims to serve European citizens, while speaking lowly yet practically noble, where even the supplementary dwarfs Elliot by a zero.
[Lille: Oh, poor devil, so damn stingy, time for you to speakâ]
Elliotâs mind whirling, he instinctively responded using the nerve system prompt board: "Uh... it should be enough. Do you have any recommended security companies?"
(Another Chapter is being worked on with effort, maybe itâll come out tomorrow. For now, those looking forward need to sleep. Goodnight, folks.)