Look at what Arasaka's exoskeleton project has become, the head of their project has been directly suspended because of this!
Do you also want our technology to be leaked and sold to Military Science, sold to Arasaka?"
Another senior agent argued vehemently.
But Bryce slammed the table stubbornly and shouted angrily, "Then you tell me what to do now? The other side has started to refuse cooperation. Do you want us to take action now, kill them all, or bring them back?
If you have that ability, then go ahead. I'd like to see if you high-and-mighty folks can pull it off!
This is Night City! Not Europe! Not even New America! How many agents do we have available here? We can't even legally drive an armored vehicle on the streets! How do you expect to handle those guys that not even Military Science agents can take down?"
"His server is connected to Night City's network. We can pool our resources and draw dedicated network lines from Europe to teach him a lesson! Wait until he's deep diving, then lock him online, and force them to capitulate!"
Someone suggested.
Yet someone else showed concern: "With the other side's technology and server level, it's tough to lock him online like handling ordinary hackers... Also, don't forget our agreement with Ultraman.
If Ultraman finds out that those guys have already reached a deal with Yoshinobu, while we're secretly obstructing..."
When Ultraman was mentioned, everyone went silent.
After exchanging looks for a long while, it was Europe's leader who finally tapped the table and said in a deep voice, "Bryce, what conditions are they proposing now? Just to allow us to re-enter?
We can't afford to lose the support of Ultraman; this concerns the future of Internet Supervision! Even humanity's future!"
"Nothing specific," Bryce said helplessly, spreading his hands, "He just expressed his anger and then told us to eat shit. He'll deal with us when he's in a better mood...
I guess if we want to get back on board, we'll have to be prepared to bleed."
Europe's leader sighed, pondered a moment, then made a decision: "We need to talk to Ultraman. We'll await the news. No matter how powerful those Spark Team guys are, they're just a bunch of mercenaries.
Ultraman needs more than just Silver Hand's consciousness data; he needs the Divine Chariot — we still have a chance to get ahead of them.
Moreover, I really can't figure out what they discussed with Yoshinobu to make him willingly take such a huge risk to deliver the Silver Hand chip to them.
What bargaining chip could they possibly have?"
Everyone fell into deep thought.
In fact, this is what Internet Supervision is truly curious about — they are Internet Supervision, and if it were them negotiating a collaboration with Yoshinobu, they are confident they could persuade him.
But Spark Team, just a few street mercenaries, what gives them the right to negotiate with Yoshinobu?
Initially, Internet Supervision confidently believed that Mercer would eventually come to them, requesting a joint effort to persuade Yoshinobu to increase their leverage. Yet, given the current situation... it seems Mercer doesn't need them at all!
This was very much beyond Internet Supervision's expectations.
Finally, the entire meeting could only end on a dismal note under Europe's leader's decision to go talk to Ultraman.
Meanwhile, while Internet Supervision and Arasaka were running around in circles, unable to get a grip on the situation.
Mercer was busy with another matter unrelated to this, yet equally important to him.
...
"The drug analysis results are out. Well... let's just say, the biotechnologists are pretty fair; a box of medicine with a cost of five hundred euros, they sell to you for six thousand eight hundred per box, just a little more than eleven times the cost."
Mercer looked at the results displayed on the analyzer, glanced at Pan'an nearby, who was fully geared in a thick protective suit, wearing both a mask and goggles, shrugged, and gave his answer.
Pan'an looked furious: "Those bastards! They poisoned us, then make ten times the money off a box of medicine from us? How dare they!"
Mercer responded bluntly: "Most of the pharmaceutical industry is like this; in fact, most of Biotech's drugs have over ten times the cost markup, and advanced special drugs have a general markup of over a hundred times... The cost of drug development, raw materials are just the lowest factor.
But I've already cracked their drug components through their machine; if you plan to produce it yourself..."
Mercer thought for a moment and said: "I grabbed a drug synthesizer from Biotech last time, its daily output isn't small, enough to meet your needs, probably.
The raw materials needed are not rare items. Even if you can't buy them directly, you can separate them from some commercially available drugs. If you use the smuggling routes in Dog Town, it's enough to stock up on a year's supply in one go, and it's not expensive."
Hearing this, Pan'an was a bit excited and reached out to grab his arm, giving it a shake: "Really! Mercer! Just tell me how much it costs, as long as it's not too expensive, and everyone can afford it!"
Mercer lifted the corners of his mouth, shook his head, and said, "But this thing only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. If time drags on, people who should die will still die... Biotechnology didn't make a special antidote for you; this is just a palliative, meant to buy time."
"Then what to do!?" Pan'an truly panicked now: "There are about sixty or seventy people infected on the Red Ocher Tribe side, and over a dozen people in Adcardo have been isolated!"
"I need to analyze the virus samples carefully to try and develop an antidote for you, but to be honest, as you can see, setting up a sterile room here is a stretch."