Players Invade Cyberpunk-Chapter 714 - 230: The Poorer, the More Particular

"This song... gives me a very special feeling."

A young vice president of a Military Science investment bank remarked with a wine glass in hand, listening to the choir downstairs.

"It's just that the singers are a bit lacking. If it were Lizzy and Kang Eun singing, it would definitely make the trending album list, selling a million copies in Europe wouldn't be a problem at all."

He seemed to lament the fortune slipping away from him, even though it didn't concern him in the slightest.

"Impossible."

A rising star from Kangtao immediately dismissed the other's judgment.

"This song won't even have the chance to be released. Its lyrics are too left-wing; it would be targeted by the European Social Management Bureau and lead to imprisonment. Besides, who cares about the lives of those destitute folk? They're nothing but a bunch of parasitic creatures unaware of serving as slaves; Mr. Lin has offered thousands of jobs this time, yet there's not a single less homeless person on the streets, proving their laziness and decadence."

His statement was so taken for granted that it resonated with many others around.

Lin Miao glanced at him, unsurprised by this.

The young man from Kangtao, having garnered the agreement of those present, seemed to seize the chance and approached Lin Miao, taking out a golden flat box from his pocket, opened it, and handed over a piece of stiff card paper, his business card.

"Let's get acquainted, Mr. Lin. My name is Zheng Shichang, Section Chief of Public Relations, Night City, Kangtao."

Lin Miao took the business card, glancing at it a couple of times. It contained the person's name, position, company name, and a special code.

"Nice business card."

"Of course."

Zheng Shichang proudly straightened his back, seeming to swell with pride among his peers due to the compliment.

"Bone white, Courlander script."

Originally, a small company with a market value of merely several hundred million wouldn't even catch the attention of Kangtao's public relations department, let alone prompting such a gesture with business cards. However, Horizon Corporation's ranking in their priority cooperation list was surprisingly high, and coupled with the company's outstanding recent performance, it had finally drawn their interest.

"I've always had a question about your company."

"Please go ahead."

"I can see that you have a very urgent demand for expanding your business, but funding limits your actions. Given this, why do you keep suppressing Horizon Corporation from going public?"

"With your company's current momentum, isn't it advisable to strike while the iron is hot and head to Europe to go public? Once listed, I can guarantee that under Kangtao and Military Science's operation, Horizon Corporation's market value would increase tenfold without a doubt. By then, whether you wish to undertake any venture, funding would be absolutely ample, and we could even offer Horizon Corporation dedicated loans, with guaranteed favorable amounts and rates. Your company's influence could even extend to East Asia and the East Coast."

The vast prospects he depicted were dazzling, and anyone discerning could tell that this Kangtao section chief's words were to be trusted; a tenfold rise was small talk, and if they were willing, Horizon Corporation could be speculated up to twenty times its current value.

But the cost would be Lin Miao's stocks being diluted, transitioning from absolute control to being in the hands of other companies.

In truth, Lin Miao was presently the biggest stumbling block on Horizon Corporation's path of rapid capital expansion.

Yet Lin Miao didn't immediately answer his question, turning instead to another middle-aged man who stepped forward, similarly offering a business card. Moreover, these people's attire and adornment were startlingly similar, like they had been cast from the same mold.

With just a glance, Lin Miao could discern that their suits were pricey, likely made from European hand-woven cashmere and silk, yet monotonous and indistinguishable.

Perhaps fearing Lin Miao's silence, the Ye Corporation's section chief took the initiative to introduce his business card.

"Eggshell white, Roman Liant font."

Stacking the two cards together, Zheng Shichang's card was evidently overshadowed in texture, dragging down even the corner of its owner's eye; his earlier pride now gave way to fury.

These mid-level company leaders seemed particularly concerned about these aspects, trying to surpass others everywhere in public, whether by business cards or suits, not hesitating to spend heavily on a custom-designed hard piece of paper.

"Embossed font, Storm Cloud Pale."

"Micro Ash White, Gold-gilded embossing."

These section chiefs and managers seemed like peacocks eager to display their plumage, each handing over their business card one after another.

Estimating the cost of these cards in hand, Lin Miao figured even one must rival the yearly earnings of a low-tier worker in Night City. Especially the last card, priced at least double the others; such watermarked, gold-gilded embossed printing cards required specially made molds, incurring ridiculously high costs. Its owner was from Military Science.

This pathological competitive spirit even made them forget their original task.

Regarding this, Lin Miao merely found it amusing; he clearly understood how deep their rivalry ran—not talking about cars, but merely a taste in records, debated down to positions of residential apartments, height, view, and even qualification to reserve a restaurant, as if these consumption-forced symbols represented their whole value.

To their eyes, whose apartment view was better, rent higher, whose favorite singer was more niche, who could book the more high-end restaurant position—these determined who held a higher social status and prowess.