Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 611, Section 25: Small Business

“Cybernetic black market, contraband smuggling, special modifications.” Andy’s fingertips slammed down on the data panel, and a cold-glowing holographic projection displayed crimson incriminating entries between him and Ironhide. “Your dock has quite a comprehensive range of businesses.”

The Vortex Gang's control center reeked of rusty engine oil. The blue light from the monitors flickered on Iron Block's face, which was covered in metal parts. Iron Block grinned, and the red light in his four prosthetic eyes flickered slightly: "Oh, officer, you're exaggerating. We just... do some small business in the gray area."

As he spoke, Iron Block deliberately spread out the modified robotic arm, and the hiss of the hydraulic device came from the joints. "We don't even touch the dirty work of grave diggers and dismantling parts like scavengers."

"Small business?" Andy turned and looked straight at him. "What's this 'modified serrated mantis knife'? I remember it's one of the top-tier items on the black market, a highly dangerous prosthetic that's strictly prohibited from being installed. Two sets of it leaked out of your place last week."

Iron Block's smile froze, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face. "Well, sometimes the cargo box labels get wrong." He subconsciously reached for the pistol at his waist, then suddenly noticed someone's presence out of the corner of his eye, and immediately used reason to control this subconscious action: "But we absolutely follow the rules! It's all a mutually agreeable transaction—"

“Willing?” Andy suddenly leaned forward, his voice particularly jarring in the silence. “This morning in Watson District, there was a sudden cyberbullying outburst. He was a madman who almost tore passersby in half,” he said slowly. “He used your ‘mislabeled’ modified serrated mantis knife.”

"If the goods are sold, you can't blame us for selling them."

Iron Block's peripheral vision was still fixed on the person standing next to him, and he spoke with conviction: "We only made a small mistake. We can't expect to bear all the responsibility. I admit we bear a little responsibility, but we didn't want this to happen either. Does a kitchen knife seller have to worry about customers cutting their hands?"

As he spoke, Iron Block noticed that someone standing next to him shifted slightly. His voice suddenly rose, like the crackling sound of a cheap stereo, "We admit... uh... there was a minor quality control oversight."

Iron Block's metal fingers tapped unnaturally on the control panel due to his body tension. "But how many cyber lunatics don't die in Night City every day? Aren't the NCPD's morgues all converted into vending machines? They can't just hold us accountable for something that's even slightly related to us, can they?"

When Iron Man's defense was clearly a distortion of the truth, Andy calmly glanced at him a few times before choosing to temporarily set aside this topic of accountability.

Because the iron block was not wrong.

In Night City, where everyone is under immense mental stress and could go insane at any moment for any reason, the Vortex Gang's "small business" doesn't even warrant a footnote in the monthly security briefing. If Andy hadn't happened to be leading a team when he encountered the Cyber ​​Mental Outbreak that morning, this matter could have been postponed given the NCPD's manpower shortage.

In the context of Night City, the Whirlpool Gang, represented by Iron Block, is indeed considered to be engaging in small-scale business, and its 'goodness' is passable.

It's just selling some high-risk prosthetics that might induce cyberpsychosis. Inducing it isn't inevitable, and in the Vortex Gang, where even their own members could become cyberpsychotic at any time due to over-modification, it's really a small matter to them.

Of course, though it's a small matter, once Andy saw it, it naturally had to be dealt with.

After thinking for a moment, Andy spoke up: "Give me your sales list. I know you don't have all of them here. You know what I want: the list of high-threat prosthetics for sale."

High-threat prosthetics are often quite expensive. For the Vortex Gang, each customer who purchases one has the value of future 'visits' and 'recycling' them after their death. Andy had been a mercenary for a long time and had reviewed many case files after becoming an NCPD member. He knew that Iron Block and his Vortex Gang definitely had a list of clients.

Faced with Andy's request, Iron Block naturally couldn't say it was a confidential matter, after all, not to mention Andy's identity, there was also an 'ancestor' watching over them.

Although the ancestor didn't say a word, who would dare pretend he wasn't there?

When KK treated Royce and his men like dogs and even broke Brick's leg, Ironhide was watching from a distance. Although he was somewhat arrogant, he wouldn't compare himself to the usurper of the Whirlpool Gang's leadership. He had to give them some face, whether he wanted to or not.

“Sure, but I have to make one more point. NCPD officer, this is for you. If you need anything later, don’t come looking for us. After all, we’re in business too, selling things. If you need to find suppliers, don’t bother us shop assistants.” Iron Block produced the list quickly, and after instructing his men to open some cubicles, the list was soon handed to Andy.

When Andy received the list, the first name that caught his eye was one of them.

'Jeremiah Grayson.'

The name is...
Andy had heard of this name in the NCPD's database.

The person associated with this name is Adam Hammer.

Jeremiah Grayson was the man who worked for Adam's hammer.

"You have a wide customer base."

Andy tapped the number [2] after the name slightly as he spoke: "What does this 2 mean? Is it some kind of special designation?"

"There's a label next to it; you can click on it to take a look."

Listening to Iron Block's words, Andy casually opened the so-called annotation, and a series of things popped up.

[Ⅰ] Recyclable chives: Keep smiling
[II] Bee Nest: Do Not Touch

[Ⅲ] Lambs awaiting slaughter: available at any time

"1 means that this person may come back to buy as a customer again, so we don't need to pay special attention to them. 2 means that this customer has something to store, but it's not easy to swallow it. And 3 means that they are our standard customers."

Listening to the seemingly formal method of dividing the iron blocks, Andy immediately made a summary in his mind.

Simply put.

First, there are those who will come back to take advantage of you, so you can wait. Second, there are those you can't afford to offend, those you shouldn't mess with. Third, there are those you can take action against.

"It seems you know very well who this person is."

"After all, there are too many lunatics, and we don't really want to mess with the biggest one."

While listening to Andy and Ironhide's conversation, Carl received Andy's information about Jeremiah Grayson's identity in the communicator. When Carl saw the label that supposedly worked for Adam Hammer, he paid a little attention.

Working for Adam Hammer, Adam Hammer, he's now the security chief of Night City's Aragaka, he can get anything he wants, and he still needs someone to do things through the Vortex Gang's shipping?
(End of this chapter)