I Became a Cyberpunk Tycoon

Refining (10)

I sat down on the soft sofa like I was lying down. It was an object designed to perfectly fit my body, meant to make me more comfortable than any other space in the world.

My eyes were comfortable too. To begin with, I had bioengineered eyes that rarely felt fatigue from ordinary activities, and the TV I was watching was also a beautiful appliance equipped with all of Hansan's technology.

But all those technological advances couldn't bring peace to my mind. It was no different from a beautiful box becoming an eyesore if what it contained inside was ugly.

"Concerns among small business owners are growing due to the recently proposed labor law."

As soon as the reporter finished speaking, the screen changed. A pixelated face and a modified voice flowed through the TV.

"This is about people... when work gets busy, there are times when you have to work 20 hours a day, right?"

This wasn't strange in this city. If you alternated between strong stimulants and sleeping pills, you could keep a person functioning for months with extremely little rest and sleep time.

"But trying to solve this through law instead of through contracts between workers and employers..."

Of course, that method wasn't perfect. Or at least, it wasn't perfect from the perspective of workers who labored that way.

The body gets ground down. It's a method of making people work by shaving years off a worker's lifespan.

It was a method that couldn't be used at Hansan. All workers entangled in employment relationships with Hansan had to pass strict security procedures.

Although it was a simple process of just checking criminal records or looking for criminals among family and friends, despite these simple measures, Hansan couldn't employ most people living in this city.

I didn't think proper treatment was taking place in Hansan's factories. Still, the people working there might worry about "quality of life," but they didn't need to worry about survival itself.

"If the law passes, we might have to close the factory."

It wasn't a pleasant thing to hear. But I could understand what point they were trying to make.

It wasn't a serious threat. Ronald wouldn't change his mind because of this level of threat.

"Thank you for your insights. And next, we have Enzo, who recently lost his job."

A middle-aged man appeared. With a face that looked like he was carrying all the world's laments and suffering alone.

"Makeup, right?"

San Suhwa, who was standing next to me, answered immediately.

"Yes."

Since he probably wasn't fired just a few months ago, there's no way someone's face would look that haggard just from losing a job.

He was acting emaciated with appropriate drugs and makeup. It seemed like they weren't even trying to hide it.

If someone were very perceptive, they would know that there was someone's intention behind that man's appearance.

But that's all. Even if a journalist wrote an article raising suspicions, it would be buried by corporations.

Even if jokes circulated on the streets like "Did you see that fake, pitiful bastard showing his face on TV?", most people wouldn't notice it.

He began telling his story. He said he had received a dismissal notice from his company recently, and they had cited Ronald's law as the reason.

"It seems their strategy is to appeal to emotions. As soon as that man opened his mouth, social media and communities started buzzing."

Numerous "fake opinions" were being presented through AI influence. If they forcibly created a topic, many people would learn about it.

People instinctively tend to follow the opinion of the majority. When over a thousand fake humans start spitting out one word each, it immediately becomes public opinion.

"Is this the end?"

Enzo finished saying what he had to say and disappeared. The topic was over, and the anchor started talking about the next subject.

"It's weak."

San Suhwa was right. This was too gentle an approach.

"Public opinion battles aren't worthless, but... this doesn't seem like a method those friends would prefer."

These are businesspeople who were planning to kidnap someone.

No matter how lawless Stella City might be, they couldn't casually point guns at someone who wasn't just a street vagrant but had risen to the position of city senator.

I opened my smartphone. It had become somewhat of a luxury item like watches before, but if I wanted to connect to the internet, I had no choice but to use this method.

Numerous fake accounts, not even trying to hide that they were AI, were posting about "unfairly dismissed Enzo."

"Why are they trying to publicize this person so widely?"

Stella City is not kind to the weak. Dismissals happen dozens, hundreds of times in this city.

Even now, some gang members in the slums might be getting angry, saying, "You're making such a fuss over just one firing?"

"This might not be the end."

"That could be, but..."

There might be many plans prepared to shake me. Since Hansan's dangerous element had conspired with people from other companies, each might be preparing plans to resolve the situation.

Still, this is strange. The purpose isn't clear.

Come to think of it, this whole fight is like that. Allies and enemies are mixed, and nothing is certain.

I induced that too, but the enemies were thinking of it as well.

The ally is Hansan, and the enemy is also Hansan. Other companies could be seen as enemies, but there would be far more companies wanting to just observe than companies wanting to antagonize Han Sanwoo.

"...Is Ronald safe for now?"

"Since the incident, Ronald has contracted with a security company. Reliable people should be guarding him now."

I would have liked to use Hansan's people. But that wasn't easy either.

Since I couldn't step forward directly, even if I gave orders, there would inevitably be room for distortion.

A security company might be safer right now than Hansan's people.

"Deploy the Doris mercenaries. Have them guard Enzo."

"Is it okay to contact them through the computer system?"

Indeed, meeting those mercenaries was fortunate.

They won't betray... well, I can't say that for certain, but knowing clearly what the trigger for betrayal is makes them valuable external forces outside of Hansan.

Like a woodcutter hiding a fairy's winged clothes, I just need to make sure Doris doesn't have reason to "fly away."

"Your order to guard Enzo... I understand. That makes sense."

"Yes. Because they might try to silence him."

If he dies or ends up fighting for his life due to a mysterious attack, even a fool would suspect those connected to the new law.

They can control the media. If I directly spoke as Han Sanwoo, things would be different, but I've already done such pressure countless times.

Stepping forward directly one more time here would be nothing short of a declaration of war. At that point, we'd have to prepare not for a public opinion battle but for urban warfare with bullets and shells flying.

"Not everyone will feel sorry for a man named Enzo. But since they're making such a noisy fuss, everyone will know who he is."

It didn't require as much investment as they had spent on the attempted kidnapping of Ronald.

Committing crimes using people who can enter the central district is dangerous and expensive. They probably suffered quite a blow from the failure of Ronald's assassination.

But all this operation needs are the lives of a few Macheonpa faction members. Even if the assassination of Enzo fails, they can pass the responsibility to the gang.

No, from their perspective, it might be better if it fails.

There's no doubt that Enzo, if he survives, will become more dependent on "the businesspeople who contacted him," and when he starts opening his mouth on TV, he'll elicit a response incomparably larger than before.

"Interesting..."

I feel like I'm in a fog. It's hard to judge who's an enemy and who's an ally.

But time is on my side.

The drafting of the bill is proceeding steadily. No matter how little respect corporations have for politicians or police, they can't completely ignore a law once it's created.

When that time comes, Hansan will legally use that law as a weapon to attack other companies.

The bond between dissatisfied elements within Hansan and businesspeople outside Hansan will weaken, and eventually, they will gradually disintegrate.

I turned off the TV with the remote and turned the sofa in the opposite direction. The sofa rotated with just the press of a button.

The night view of Stella City came into my eyes. Countless lights were scattered chaotically.

As always, this city felt a little sad and empty.

***

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you. Thank you so much..."

The middle-aged man, Enzo, kept bowing his head after receiving an envelope. The men in black suits were no less than saviors to him.

When he heard that he was fired from the company, it felt like the sky was falling.

But those men in suits gave him a considerable amount of money just for "putting on simple makeup" and appearing on the news.

It wasn't a dangerous job, nor was it a lie. If they had asked him to lie in a public place, he would have had to deceive his conscience, but this job didn't require that.

"I'll let you know if there's a need for another appearance. Of course, your contact with us is confidential."

"I'll keep that in mind."

With this money, he wouldn't be evicted from his home immediately.

He wouldn't be unable to wash his body due to unpaid water bills, nor would he find himself unable to do laundry or wash dishes.

But it seemed a bit insufficient to pay his son's settlement money.

Stella City might not care about catching crime, but once a crime was caught, it was a place that demanded a huge price.

If the fraud victim wished, they would have no choice but to willingly pay an astronomical settlement amount. Even if it meant going into massive debt.

'Please...'

That's why he couldn't stop praying. He would acknowledge that these suited men's visit was God's help, so he had no choice but to beg for help one more time.

He had to pray that his son Rick, who went to meet the fraud victim for a "personal apology," would please bow his head quietly and ask for forgiveness.

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