Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 644, Section 58: Betting
"what's the topic?"

“After talking to them, they’ll understand and start making offerings to you.”

Carl had just parted ways with the thoughtful Wild King when he ran into Andy, who was probably there to maintain order at the match. After answering Andy's question, Carl casually asked, "Isn't your NCPD short-staffed? Why are you all here to manage things?"

"You probably already guessed it. No matter how much we're short-staffed, with so many people gathered here, we still have to send someone over, right?"

Andy gestured for Carl to look at the crowded people around them: "I wonder how many out-of-towners and foreigners are here. If things go wrong, the Night City Council will lose face in the whole world. Even if we don't care about these citizens, we should at least care about our foreign friends, right?"

"Why does your tone sound a bit sarcastic to me? It's rare to hear you being sarcastic, Andy.

Carl said with a hint of surprise, which made Andy shake his head: "We have to maintain order. Have you noticed over there?"

As Andy spoke, he pointed to a spot, and Carl followed his finger and saw a group of people gathered around what appeared to be the original elevator in the abandoned shopping mall, seemingly doing something.

“What’s going on over there?” Karl glanced around. “I think I saw some people holding euros.”

“This boxing champion, Razor Hughes, is a world-class fighter. Everyone wants to know if Jack, the dark horse who fought his way out of the Night City street boxing scene, can beat this legend.” He paused. “With so much attention, naturally some people want to take advantage of the situation.”

"Oh."

Carl understood immediately.

What can possibly happen in a match that attracts too much attention?

It's nothing more than gambling on winning or losing.

"So who has the higher odds now?"

"You still care about this?"

"No, I just want to know who the public favors."

Carl shrugged: "After all, Razor Hughes had been out there for many years after becoming a champion, while Jack only started fighting on the streets of Night City this year. I want to know which one the world should be more optimistic about."

"I'm not very interested in this, and I don't know the specific odds, but it seems that Jack is not favored, and I've heard the gap is quite large."

"Not small?"

Carl raised an eyebrow: "Jack is being underestimated."

"It's hard to say. After all, although Jack is very famous as a mercenary, as a boxer, it's a career change, so it's normal that people don't think he'll succeed."

Andy explained, "It's like asking a Chinese chef to make Western desserts all of a sudden. It might not be that drastic, but it'll still make people suspicious."

"Too."

As Carl spoke, he suddenly noticed people in NCPD uniforms among the crowd: "It looks like some of your men went to place bets too. How's your team's betting going?"

"That rascal"

Andy immediately recognized her as Oriona, a member recruited through street recruitment. She was the daughter of the legendary Heywood mourner and, like Andy, a former mercenary NCPD member. However, compared to Andy, who was naturally composed and became increasingly stern and unsmiling after joining the NCPD, Oriona retained more of her streetwise habits. She was definitely going to participate in this rare opportunity to make money on the streets. However, Andy didn't call Oriona over. NCPD rules are strict, but people are flexible. While NCPD rules prohibited regular officers from participating in such activities, they also prohibited accepting bribes. Andy could turn a blind eye to this kind of thing.

He knew Oleona's situation all too well. She was young and already had a daughter, plus a confused old man who kept saying that "military technology pensions are really generous," completely unaware that the money she received each month was stained with the blood of her daughter fighting for her life on the streets.

Not to mention the mess her mother left behind—her uncle's revenge against her whole family almost left her dead in the street. Now that she finally has a police badge and a government job, she's taking advantage of the opportunity to make as much money as possible, and it's all done through bribery. It's just a slight violation of the rules, so who would have the heart to criticize her?

The badges of the special operations team are indeed more respectable than the dog tags of mercenaries, but Andy's elite team, equipped with gear comparable to the terrorist mobile unit, receives the best treatment and naturally does the dirtiest and most dangerous work.

Who knows, one morning, Oriona's file will be stamped with a blue seal that says "died in the line of duty".

The NCPD does have death compensation, but even after Chief Johnson took office and tried to improve benefits, the amount of money in this area is still small due to interference from the city council. Every time an unfortunate incident occurs, it is the same team members and Chief Johnson himself who secretly use the bribes and salary they have received to make up for it.

Those children who grow up on the streets have the same survival rule etched into their bones—rather than trusting the promises of the system, they'd rather stuff a few more illegally obtained euros into their daughter's schoolbag.

Andy glanced at Oriona many times until she squeezed out of the crowd and noticed that Carl and the captain were watching her.

"Hey, boss."

Orionna strolled over, nodded to Andy as a greeting, then turned to Carl and grinned, "Let your Jack beat me to a pulp—I've staked two months' salary on him."

Carl smiled slightly: "You think highly of Jack?"

"Otherwise what?" She scoffed, pointing her thumb behind her to the room Razor Hughes had prepared on the other side of the boxing ring. "Believe in that boxing champion? Give me a break. That brainless muscleman from the Animals Gang, Jack could send him to the ICU in three punches." People from the streets only ever recognize their own kind; that rule can't be broken even if you put on a police uniform.

She leaned closer to Carl, revealing half of her betting slip peeking out from her uniform sleeve: "The entire Special Operations team, except for the boss, bet on Jack. There are some extras, which are bets placed on behalf of those 'gentleman' colleagues." She rubbed her fingers together, making a counting motion, "Just waiting for the dividends."

"Is he that trusting?"

When Carl heard that everyone on the team except Andy had bet on Jack, as well as the other people from the NCPD, he couldn't help but look at Andy with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Orionna also looked at Andy, her eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.

Andy sighed helplessly as the two of them stared at him.

Do you want cash?

As he said this, Oriona gave him a big smile: "Transferring money is best, I'll go back and squeeze it in right now."

Seeing Oriona briefly come over and then immediately rush back, Karl asked curiously, "How much did you bet?"

"All."

Andy said calmly, "After all, if you're picking up money, you should naturally pick up more."

Sure enough, even Andy has a street-smart vibe.

(End of this chapter)