Chapter 159: Intelligence Deal!
"H-Hello… V."
Finally free from the threat of death, Bryce could finally catch his breath. As a corporate hacker agent, his specialty certainly wasn't close combat.
When V held a gun to his head, Bryce was genuinely terrified, almost wetting himself. He had never encountered such a situation before. If the person in front of him had been a ruthless killer, his life would have ended right there.
Luckily, the reputation of the NetWatch Corporation was intimidating enough that this agent named V didn't intend to kill him.
"V, it seems like we're fated to meet. But this isn't the place to talk. Why don't we go somewhere else, sit down, and chat?" Bryce cautiously suggested.
While V was on the phone with Li Ang, Bryce used his cybernetic eye implants to secretly scan V's body, hoping to identify weaknesses. However, what he discovered left him utterly stunned.
The V standing before him was practically a cyberpsycho, with less than 10% of his body still organic. Top-tier cyberware covered his entire body, and there was some mysterious device installed in his brain. To Bryce, V looked like a walking time bomb, ready to go berserk at any moment.
Dealing with someone as volatile as a cyberpsycho, Bryce knew better than to provoke him. It was best to keep things calm and avoid triggering any extreme reactions.
"Fine. Follow me, and don't even think about trying to run. You know what'll happen if you do," V warned coldly.
Bryce found V's warning convincing—nobody wanted to mess with a cyberpsycho. "A-All right," Bryce stammered, nodding obediently. He packed up his equipment and followed V out of the Voodoo Boys' secret underground facility.
Thanks to their careful preparations, their exit was as smooth as their entrance. They encountered no trouble while leaving the Voodoo Boys' territory.
After navigating through the area for ten minutes, V and Bryce checked into a nearby motel.
Following several rounds of conversation and subtle probing, Bryce noticed that V seemed to be a unique corporate operative. Despite the overload of cyberware on his body, V appeared unaffected, able to engage in normal conversations like any other person.
With that realization, Bryce relaxed, grabbed a chair, and prepared to chat with V about intelligence trading.
"V, do you ever do business on the side to make some extra cash?" Bryce asked with a sly smile and a peculiar look on his face.
"I don't understand what you mean by that," V replied coldly, glancing at Bryce. He wasn't in the mood for small talk and only wanted to finish the mission quickly.
"Oh, come on! Don't play dumb with me. You really think that meager salary from the company is enough? Who doesn't have a side hustle these days?" Bryce grinned and continued to tempt V. "Since we're both corporate operatives, why not exchange some valuable intel? We might even make some good money out of it. What do you say?"
V frowned. He had no interest in exchanging intelligence with Bryce. But just as he was about to refuse, Johnny's voice suddenly chimed in:
"V, hear him out. Let's see what kind of intel he's offering. It might come in handy for us."
Unlike V, who was visibly annoyed, Johnny Silverhand was intrigued by the idea of trading intelligence. It could lead to valuable information, perhaps something about the Relic chip.
V nodded thoughtfully. Johnny had a point—it couldn't hurt to listen. Who knows? They might unearth something useful.
"Bryce, aren't you afraid of the company coming after you if you betray them by selling intel?" V asked coldly, intentionally testing him. He wasn't sure if Bryce was truly serious about trading information.
To V's surprise, Bryce simply shook his head and responded calmly, "V, I'm not the only one doing this. Selling corporate intel is common practice."
"Every major corporation has people like me—intelligence brokers. It's a mutually beneficial business, and no one can put an end to it. Not even the most powerful individuals can stop this trade."
"This is human nature. It doesn't change because of someone's ideals. As long as people exist, this trade will continue."
Bryce's confidence stemmed from the extensive network of intelligence traders he knew, including agents from other corporations and even operatives from the New American Federal Intelligence Agency.
This vast intelligence-trading network bound corporate agents together, united by one thing: profit.
"It seems you've sold quite a bit of NetWatch intel. So, what price are you offering for a trade with me?" V feigned interest, prompting Bryce to elaborate on his trade standards.
The value of intel depended on its source. Internal information from major corporations like LA, Arasaka, or the European Economic Community fetched the highest prices. Secretive organizations like the Federal Intelligence Agency and Aguilar were also incredibly valuable.
In short, everything had a price. As long as you had the money, you could buy anything.
"V, if you're looking to make a fortune, your best bet is to provide intel from big corporations—like LA's internal secrets."
Even in the empty motel room, Bryce instinctively lowered his voice, speaking with an air of secrecy. Clearly, he was a seasoned veteran in this trade.
When Bryce mentioned LA Corporation, V's curiosity was piqued. He immediately asked, "Is LA Corporation's intel really worth that much?"
"Of course! You wouldn't believe it—recently, LA Corporation developed some kind of polymer and plans to unveil it at a press conference aboard the SkyOne airship. That tiny piece of information sold for 500,000 euros!" Bryce exclaimed, his face filled with regret.
"A rookie stumbled upon the conversation while working as a janitor at LA Corporation. He turned around and sold the intel, earning a fortune that he couldn't spend in a lifetime!" Bryce lamented, beating his chest.
Hearing this, V furrowed his brows. If information from LA Corporation was worth so much, there were bound to be numerous insiders selling secrets.
Over time, wouldn't LA Corporation be riddled with leaks?
"And then? Is that person still with LA Corporation?" V asked, curious about the rookie's fate.
"Heh, of course not," Bryce sneered, lighting a cigarette. After exhaling a puff of smoke, he continued, "That idiot thought he could stay and keep eavesdropping for more intel. He got caught the very next day. If it were me, I'd have quit while I was ahead."
"Did he really think corporate counterintelligence agents are fools? Luck like that doesn't come around every day."
"Greedy people never have good endings!"
Seeing that V seemed to know something about LA Corporation, Bryce leaned in with a probing smile and asked, "V, with the current prices for LA Corporation's intel skyrocketing, if you know anything, why not share it?"
"You've got the intel, I've got the market. Together, we'll strike it rich!"
"I've always been a man of integrity—never owed anyone a cent. But let me tell you, finding someone with access to LA Corporation agents is ridiculously rare right now."
"Scarcity drives value. Now's the perfect time to rake in the cash!"
After listening to Bryce's animated pitch, V had a good grasp of his character. This guy was a classic intel broker, driven purely by greed.
A skilled one at that. No wonder he could talk so much—he'd probably conned plenty of people into giving up information using that silver tongue of his.
"LA Corporation, huh? Well, I've heard that the aerospace port over in Moro Rock has already gone operational. A few manned spacecraft have officially docked with Crystal Palace. Does that count as useful intel?" V teased, deliberately dangling the information to gauge Bryce's reaction.
"Come on, V! Do you think I don't watch the news? That's old news, totally worthless!" Bryce scoffed, his face showing disdain. The aerospace port, built with the help of the Highriders, had been completed in less than three months.
LA Corporation had even publicly announced that anyone entering the port, regardless of their status, would be free from Earth's legal jurisdiction. The port operated under Crystal Palace law, where money ruled all.
As a result, an influx of fugitives and criminals had started flooding into Night City, hoping to buy tickets to board rockets and escape Earth.
For lawless individuals, a ticket to the Crystal Palace was the ultimate money-laundering method and a perfect shield against legal prosecution.
Of course, that only worked if they weren't on the corporate wanted list. If they were, security forces would pin them down the moment they set foot in the port.
As for the broke criminals, they had no choice but to lay low in Night City. They'd wait for a chance to rob a wealthy target and then buy a ticket to the Crystal Palace to work as an illegal laborer—a risky but viable plan.
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