The new mber’s words drew everyone’s attention, though Guang Ling was unsurprised.
"You’re not going to die. The disposal chute you’re in has malfunctioned, and it’s not currently in the repair queue."
Guang Ling offered a kind reminder, seemingly unable to bear watching the new mber rashly lose his last shred of dignity in front of the four old hands.
The new mber froze for a second before continuing, "I was attacked out of nowhere. My entire Prosthetic Body is short-circuited, and my Suppressor has stopped working. In my condition, if the Suppressor remains offline for more than three hours, I’ll inevitably succumb to cyber psychosis."
"I still need help."
For the new mber, the good news was that he was safe for the next thirty minutes. The bad news was that if no one ca to his rescue, he’d go insane in three hours, tops.
Lin Qi didn’t rush to speak. He simply felt that this new mber was rather unlucky.
King Arthur, however, found it strange. "Why didn’t you call the Intercontinental Stability Trauma Ergency Company for help? According to you, your prosthetic level must be over 70%. Facing that kind of risk, you can’t possibly not have even a basic trauma mbership, can you?"
King Arthur was casting doubt.
’How could soone too poor to afford a trauma mbership have the money to maintain such a high rate of prosthetic implantation?’
’The costs for that level of implantation are terrifying.’
The new mber remained candid. "I have no money. My Prosthetic Body is entirely from low-level prosthetic experints for various corporations. I’m a professional test subject. My prosthetic level has reached 85%. Please, I’m begging you, anyone, just save first! I don’t want to die!"
Far away in the European Administrative Region, King Arthur’s face was a mask of shock.
’Finally!’
’Finally!’
’The Highest-Level rcenary Corps has finally gotten a new mber for the bottom rung!’
’I’m finally not the lousiest one in the rcenary Corps anymore!’
Hearing this, all eyes fell on Capitalist.
The Asian Administrative Region, Alliance City—this was the Cyber City where the Big Business Alliance was based, a place that absolutely abided by the laws enacted by the Big Business Alliance.
It was the most stable, and also the most chaotic, city in the entire Asian Administrative Region.
For corporate operations, Alliance City’s financial conditions were stable enough that nearly every major corporation had a sizable branch there.
But for the people living in Alliance City, the city was also utterly chaotic.
It was a place where gangs ran rampant, but also a sanctuary for those looking to wash their records clean and go legit.
As everyone knew, Capitalist had close ties to the Big Business Alliance.
If their assumptions were correct, there was a high probability that Capitalist was in Alliance City.
Sure enough, feeling everyone’s gazes on them, Capitalist turned toward the new mber and spoke. "I’m not sure why Guang Ling invited you to the Highest-Level rcenary Corps, but as it stands, I don’t see you as having sufficient value. Why should I save you?"
This response was typical of Capitalist’s style.
In every action the rcenary Corps took, and even in their attitude toward every mber, Capitalist was consistently driven by one thing: profit.
Lin Qi wasn’t put off by this; he was even tempted to emulate it. He quietly watched, waiting for the new mber’s reply.
As for Guang Ling, they didn’t interfere at all.
It was as if after extending the invitation, Guang Ling was no longer responsible for after-sales support.
Whether he could integrate into the rcenary Corps, bring it value in the future, and in turn gain value from it—all of that depended on the new mber’s own efforts.
Lin Qi had gone through the very sa process.
He watched in silence, awaiting the new mber’s reaction.
The new mber’s response was swift, and consisted of a single sentence: "I’m using a second-hand M-Class Suppressor."
That one sentence imdiately earned a response from Capitalist: "A Trauma Team from the Big Business Alliance will arrive in twenty minutes. Just broadcast your distress signal and wait for rescue."
Capitalist’s reaction didn’t surprise Lin Qi, but it did pique his interest in the new mber.
’An 85% prosthetic implantation rate!’
’That number ant that besides his brain, there was probably only enough flesh left on his body to make half a plate of dumplings.’
’Even if that 85% Prosthetic Body was all M-Class, the strain on the brain wouldn’t be sothing a re M-Class Suppressor could handle.’
’To have survived this long and maintained his basic sanity with just a second-hand M-Class Suppressor... this new mber was nothing short of a miracle.’
’For any corporation involved with Prosthetic Bodies, his research value would be imnse.’
Having scraped by in the underbelly of Alliance City for so long, the new mber most likely knew the exact research value of his few remaining pounds of human tissue.
Using that as a bargaining chip, he had secured Capitalist’s help.
"A Trauma Team from the Big Business Alliance? Are you a high-ranking executive in the Big Business Alliance?"
The new mber’s shock was so palpable it seed to fill the virtual eting room. This was a big shot of a caliber he had never encountered before.
At that mont, the new mber looked at the five shadowy figures. Even his short-circuited body was affected by his frayed nerves, and he began to tremble.
’And the Highest-Level rcenary Corps has five big shots like that!’
’No wonder they dare to call themselves that. With the combined power of these five, they could probably shake the major corporations to their core, couldn’t they?’
In his mind, the new mber had already begun to deify the Highest-Level rcenary Corps.
Capitalist didn’t respond. In any case, it wouldn’t be long before the new mber was taken away by the Big Business Alliance’s Trauma Team.
Then, the new mber would be on Capitalist’s ho turf.
Capitalist felt a flicker of sothing unusual. This was the first mber of the rcenary Corps whose identity had been exposed to them.
’The new mber is just so candid,’ Capitalist thought. ’Unlike King Arthur, Master Ma, and Wizard. Even after using every trick in the book, I’ve never managed to uncover their true identities.’
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