Players Invade Cyberpunk-Chapter 682 - 221: Meat Processing_2

"Sigh..."

He rubbed his temples, trying to stave off the impending breakdown.

Who knows what the hell Jackal was thinking, writing such a twisted novel. If it were performed on the radio, his reputation for life would be ruined.

"PASS! You submit this kind of thing again, and I'll block you."

[**]: "Tch, someone like you doesn't understand what true art is-meow. I'm going to publish it on the official website for everyone to see, with illustrations!" (Warning: graphic and out-of-character content, view at your own risk)

[Brother Dao]: "Please, spare everyone's eyes."

Brother Dao had seen plenty of "a pear blossom pressing against a crabapple," but this was his first time reading a "pear blossom pressing against a pear" novel.

After sending off the pest, Brother Dao collected himself to look at the task.

"Food safety, huh..."

Brother Dao felt a bit funny about it.

Because although everyone in the game eats and drinks daily, buying their stuff with money from stores or cafeterias, they actually treat these things as if they magically appear on shelves without considering food hygiene issues.

But now that the task was given, thinking like this would just be a self-indictment.

This must mean there's something wrong, right?

And the problem doesn't seem small.

What does that make all the stuff I ate before?

The more Brother Dao thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt, but what could he do? He could only fool himself.

'There's no problem. This stuff must have been added in this version. Before that, there shouldn't have been these settings...'

Who are you kidding... they figured out on the first day of the game that the water was off, so how could the food not be questionable?

It's just that nobody thought about it before.

Outsiders aside, Brother Dao had definitely seen some of the photos his colleagues took surreptitiously. Anyone who could still eat after seeing those was a real hero.

Getting angrier the more he thought about it, Brother Dao slammed the table.

"Where's Lewis? Get ready to get to work!"

"You want to go to a food processing plant?"

Lewis, a local journalist in Night City, showed a troubled expression upon hearing Brother Dao's plan— and this was a guy who dared to go deep beneath Watson District.

Brother Dao teased, "What's with that look, don't tell me you're scared?"

Lewis shook his head.

"It's not fear, it's trouble."

He said slowly.

"You might not know, but a lot of people are actually aware those things have issues. But in 2016, California passed the 'Food Disparagement Act,' which bars any media or individuals from reporting on food safety lightly, or they'll end up in court."

Going underground, at worst, you'd die, since what happens there isn't legal and can't be exposed.

But above ground, those in power could cover things up, leaving no TV station or news association daring to report it. The local network was their domain, and Lewis remained under the legal umbrella.

Some radio stations broadcasting independently had minimal influence, unable to reach significant scale.

"What does this have to do with you being a dead man?"

Brother Dao had a nonchalant expression.

"You've forgotten you 'died' two months ago, haven't you? What does a dead man care about the law?"

"..."

————

Being an undercover journalist truly tests one's willpower and acting skills.

A dozen years ago, when trying to infiltrate a black coal mine to uncover the truth, one of Brother Dao's predecessors had to act insane on the streets virtually naked for over ten days before the local gang captured him into the mines.

Companies in Night City wouldn't handle things so crudely; after all, wages for workers there were already meager, and those eager to work in the factory lined up long queues.

They fear nothing.

They care even less.

Because all the ravens are dark worldwide.

Where could you go to sue?

NCPD?

Channel 54 News?

Even within the food industry, peers only compete on who can go lower, not higher.

The skies of Night City were just as its name implied.

Never bright, never having seen the sun.

To secure a job in a food processing plant without arousing suspicion, Brother Dao purposely didn't choose the most convenient middleman from Santo Domingo, Old Captain.

Old Captain was now labeled by many companies as part of 'Horizon Corporation,' making it unsafe.

Luckily, players had stayed in Night City long enough to acquaint themselves with plenty of locals, such as Caidix from the Vortex Gang, who'd recently realized a dream by following Brother Ni to a radio interview.

The Vortex Gang had taken over a factory from Full Foods Corporation as their base, which was lucky to have not been burnt down.

As the biggest modifier gathering place in Night City, their underlying situation was far more complex.

Unlike the Tiger Claw or Sixth Street Gangs backed by major enterprises, the Vortex Gang was supported not only by the Ye family but also by various large and small pharmaceutical and prosthetics companies.

They served as a secondary testing ground for companies conducting human experiments.

The primary testers were those they kidnapped themselves.

With the help of this old brother, going through Vortex Gang's connections, Brother Dao successfully infiltrated a meat processing plant in the northern outskirts of Watson District to work as a low-level worker.

Brother Dao patted the cop on the shoulder before entering.

"Bro, if I die in there, make sure to bring my body out."

The cop didn't get it: "Don't you barely have any implants? Why bother? You might as well take this opportunity to get some upgrades."

"No..."

Brother Dao shook his head.

"If you don't like ginger-braised pork, you'd best listen to me."

Although Brother Dao couldn't ensure what it was like inside, he wanted to believe in the intelligence of the froggers, just as he believed in the enterprises' ethical standards.

The food processing plant was close to the abandoned black oil field. Forget about the ground; even the sky was a grim black.