Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 638, Section 52: Goods and Living Things

"I've always felt that being struck by lightning is not a good thing."

The storm hadn't passed yet, but after parking the vehicle in a spot where it wasn't likely to collapse or be hit by landslides, Carl, Oliver, and Wayne got out: "Hopefully we won't get struck by lightning."

"Do we really need to get off the bus like this?"

Oliver looked at the still thundering sky and was actually reluctant to come down: "There's thunder and acid rain right now, we don't need to be in such a hurry."

"Judging from the storm, if we wait any longer, the area where the houses are might collapse. In that case, we'll have to ask Adcado's people for excavation equipment to dig it up. Let's finish this quickly and go back sooner."

As Carl spoke, he glanced at Weyland and noticed that he was staring at their target house in the distance: "What, Weyland, do you also think we should wait and go over there?"

"No, I just felt that the location for this handover wasn't very good."

Wylan shook his head: "They only gave us a general area, and it was set up in this kind of abandoned house. Although the storm we encountered was probably an accident, in my memory, this doesn't seem like a task that Rogge could have arranged. Overall, it feels cumbersome."

"Maybe, after all, she only gave a rough location."

Karl took out his phone and examined the location information Roger had sent him: "But looking closely, this thing is still updating in real time. Even the storm didn't affect it. It really is something else."

Carl was halfway through reading when he suddenly realized a point he had overlooked.

Because the job was relatively easy and casual, involving only retrieving items, Carl simply sent the location to Oliver, who then input it into the car's navigation system. However, he now realized that even with an accurate location, Roger had drawn a general area, as if the object could move but couldn't escape the designated area based on its speed. Therefore, when the location failed, the search had to be conducted within that area.

thing
"Wait a minute." Carl suddenly thought of a possibility.

For the middleman, movable goods might also be considered a kind of 'thing'. Does that mean the 'goods' Dakota and Rogue traded could move and run away? So, does 'retrieving' mean they have to catch them if they run away?

Carl finally understood why that old woman Roger was so generous, casually sending him to do this job. Now that he thought about it carefully, could it be that she had reduced the high price of protecting the living creature to the price of ordinary pickup?
He recalled something Oliver had casually remarked while driving: 'Give it a five-kilometer radius—does that thing have legs and run by itself?'

Could it really run away?
Carl felt the unpleasant sensation of acid rain hitting his clothes and shared his guess with Oliver and Welland.

"Damn, can it really be like that? I was wondering why that old woman Roger was so generous. I was thinking maybe she really wanted to give us a vacation. Turns out, this pickup trip also has to ensure that the goods are successfully retrieved."

Oliver now understands why the goods weren't just shipped directly into the city; someone had to come and pick them up.

If it's live cargo, then given the middleman's nature, it's 99% likely to be contraband. And smuggling contraband into the city costs a different price. But if it's the KK team smuggling things into the city now, then...
This can save Rogge some money.

"She really did factor everything in! I knew that old woman Roger wasn't that kind-hearted!"

Oliver looked at Wayland and understood why Roger hadn't let Wayland come alone.

At the same time, it would save on bribes that could be as much as the hiring fee, and it would also give Whelan, who was supposed to carry out the mission, two powerful assistants, Carl and Oliver. Why not? It would save money and provide extra insurance. Oliver asked himself if he would be happy to do it too.

However, Oliver, who realized he had been taken advantage of by Roger, wasn't so happy. "Now I understand why Panan only stayed in the city for a short time before calling Roger a 'stinking bitch'."

Oliver's cheek twitched: "I'm starting to feel like saying that too."

"Go ahead and curse me, I will absolutely not tell Roger about this."

Whelan shrugged. He seemed more accustomed to Rogge's style than Oliver, after all, he was a former star mercenary who had worked for Rogge for many years. He adapted quickly after realizing the truth of the mission: "After all, I used to curse her like that in private too."

"Come on, complaining in this awful weather is a waste of breath," Carl interrupted the conversation in the pouring rain.

Acid rain seeped in through the gaps in my clothes, and my skin started to itch—this rain had a pungent metallic smell that made me feel uncomfortable all over.

He has never disliked rainy days, except for acid rain.

"Hurry up and get to that house. If the 'goods' are really alive," Carl squinted at the dilapidated building in the distance, "then if the house collapses, our deal is off."

“Carl,” Oliver’s voice came through the rain, “when did you become a model employee? That old hag Roger is obviously exploiting us, and you really intend to send the goods back intact?”

"You can't say that."

Carl wiped his face and rubbed his fingertips, which were covered in corrosive rainwater, on his clothes. The rainwater left winding marks on his clothes, reminding him of V. That guy did real hard work. Compared to V, this kind of work, which was only possible because of unexpected weather, was nothing.

“I’m not as dedicated as V. That guy is the kind who will do anything for you as long as the money is right, regardless of whether it’s worth it or not.” Carl shrugged. “But the pay for this job is fair. It’s not the kind of easy money I thought I would make, but it’s acceptable. Since Roger paid well and the weather was an unexpected problem, we’ll do it by the book.”

"Sigh, what can we do?"

Oliver only complained a little; he wouldn't really quit. So, after discussing it, the three of them carefully made their way towards the house, avoiding any potential mudslides, and then spent about three minutes climbing up the house.

Finding the secret in this house isn't difficult. After all, these abandoned houses in the wilderness are only so big. Once you've identified this house, finding it won't take much effort.

The three men found the entrance to the basement in the dilapidated hut, and when they opened the basement, they discovered the cargo.

It is indeed a living creature.

More accurately.

are people.

A person who was tied up, gagged, wearing glasses, and giving off the air of an elite corporate professional.

(End of this chapter)