Berlinâs magnificence exceeded Elliotâs imagination. Even though the media often reported on how prosperous the city was, seeing it firsthand felt different.
However, the development of things cannot detach from reality. People need to eat and drink, and steel, concrete, and everything else that supports this city require industrial production. To sustain such a cityâs landscape, more manpower and materials are needed, but they place these unseen by Berlin citizens.
Berlin has, and only has, one large-scale industry requiring workers and engineers: the logistics industry. The city transports necessary materials from elsewhere via extensive rail and road systems.
And donât forget, Germany used to be divided into East and West Germany.
Moreover, in this world, the Soviet Union didnât disintegrate but instead underwent "self-reformation," transforming into the Su Federation...
The old ideological banner has been dismantled, but the massive number of workers gathered here havenât been dissolved, nor did they transform with the Su Federationâs change into wealthy liberal pioneers.
The current "Berlin" seemingly aligns more with the Bonn region in West Germany, the former capital of West Germany in the Marvel World Line, while East Germany retained the enormous industrial conglomerate, serving as the current Berlinâs periphery for logistics operations.
Although composed of a large number of advanced technology machines and equipment, this place and the Berlin just seen are clearly worlds apart...
Itâs not too low-grade or dirty; in fact, the environment here is impeccable, a model industrial zone almost free of dirt, with shiny machine surfaces...
One could say this is another world compared to the "factory" or "industrial zone" Elliot knew.
"...Would there really be Cyber Psychosis here?" Elliot began to doubt himself, "For technical workers, this place could be Heaven, right..."
Sevens glanced at Elliot: "Doesnât it feel familiar? This is the place in the European Unionâs public basic education materials, it was previously the standard for the International Electric Company, but the IEC got involved in the company conflicts...
The key issue is...policy changes, so now itâs controlled by the BOSCH Group; recently Iâve heard IEC might integrate business with BOSCH."
Elliotâs eyes shifted: "So this time, weâre between these two companies..."
"No..." Sevens shook his head, a flicker of worry crossed his face, "BOSCH and IEC are held by a group, the former has always been owned by Berlin Industrial Investment Company, while the latter was founded by Berlin Industrial Investment Company.
IEC was heavily damaged in the company conflicts, could only regroup, now theyâve returned, Berlin Industrial Investment Company seems to be fixated on IEC."
Elliot furrowed his brow, filled with confusion:
He began to understand what Lille told him, about how to wander between companies, leveraging their desires to carve out survival space.
But this time, itâs different? This time these two companies seem controlled by one company, would they fight?
The answer to this question is actually quite straightforward:
No, they wonât.
Lille said nothing until Elliot tentatively spoke:
[Elliot: Big brother, something feels off...]
[Lille: Wait and see, someone named "Barefoot" in the forum claimed theyâd already done this in Foxstone, though they only said that much, we need to know why they act this way.]
This Barefoot casually said something incomplete, Network Supervision intervened to have the workersâ forum delete this line.
So, theyâre here this time to find Barefoot.
"Alright... letâs see whatâs happening. Previously, a guy named âBarefootâ mentioned in the forum that they engaged in such activities before but didnât succeed."
Sevens looked puzzled: "How come I didnât know?"
"Because Network Supervision had us delete that messageânot via email, but thereâs a monitoring interface in our forum within the European Barrier..."
"No, no need to explain the technical details to me. You mean weâre now seeking an information controlled by Network Supervision?"
Why are we investigating a message Network Supervision requested to be deleted?
[Lille: Itâs simple, weâre obliged to comply with Network Supervision controls, but thereâs no law stating we canât investigate what theyâve deleted.]
"Uh..." Elliot quoted, "The law doesnât prohibit us from checking, and isnât this our job?"
"You have a knack... definitely didnât misjudge you."
While talking, they drove into the industrial area, straight to where Barefoot was networked, facing a huge logistics factory, a site equipped with berths for hovercraft, drones bustling back and forth.
Because Berlin is not only seemingly advanced but truly advanced, its development of unmanned tech and AI technology is highly sophisticated, hardly any workers were seen on site, visiting engineers were sparse.
Most engineers wearing professional equipment for data transmission, site surveys, inspection, their faces covered with visors, making it impossible to see their expressions...
At first glance, they seemed like robots, the occasional pause and humanistic movements, like scratching their heads, showed they were indeed humans.
As their car just arrived at the factory entrance, a reception robot stepped forward steadily:
"Hello, gentlemen, if youâre scheduled visitors please present your reservation code, if under other circumstances, provide any identification, including but not limited to Interpol search warrants, European Court summons notices, etc."
Sevens raised his arm with a personal terminal capable of carrying encrypted files with complex data signatures, such as one from the European Union given to them with the Cyber Psychosis Special Political Committeeâs signature.
Honestly, he didnât know if this would allow entrance, since the European Union laws often seemed enforceable, but most times were impartial only to ordinary people, companies, civil servants, varying largely with situation and class.
However, theyâre already here, may as well try, especially since they were assigned an instructor, maybe that helps?
The robot quickly read the transmitted data and connected to European Barrier data:
"Ah, welcome members of the Cyber Psychosis Special Political Committee, although this company recently has no Cyber Psychosis incidents, itâs been safe production for over 1409 days, and recently responded to EU policy requirements conducting employee physical examinations.
Considering you havenât made reservations, I might have to decline your visit application."
Not getting in.
Honestly, as "decent people," IECâs reception robot provided a pretty decent response:
We havenât had issues, and held employee physical exams, well complying with policy.
Sevens was quite unwilling, thinking quickly, he replied:
"...We donât need to enter the factory, weâre here to find Mr. Barefootâthis is his online name, plus his network address connection record."
"Okay, searching for Mr. Barefoot for you..."
After a moment, the robot replied swiftly: "Sir, the Mr. Barefoot youâre looking for is named Moke Rogers; it appears he left the company some time ago.
As for other matters, IEC values citizen privacy greatly, wonât excessively interfere in employeesâ lives; if you wish to know more, you should seek other law enforcement departments for assistance."
Barefoot was gone.