Cyberpunk: XYZ

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Chapter 16: Guided To The Abyss III

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Hamada and Johnson's conflict was merely the easiest way to get it discreetly. That's how the latter interpreted the situation at least.

Johnson linked himself to his computer, all Joi needed to do was upload herself to the Tyger Claws' database discreetly.

"I will kill him... But you can't interfere with my territory. We conclude the deal, I give you the area you want, and I don't want to hear from you ever again... I know how you guys operate. You'll drag me down to death, so I would rather die than cooperate with you again!"

Johnson stressed, knowing full well the usual shenanigans of corporations.

Give them an inch and they'll take a mile, using you again and again, till your deathbed.

[You are thinking too highly of yourself. We do not need you. Just follow instructions and forget we ever interacted]

Johnson took a deep breath to calm himself down, still sweating profusely.

The way the voice talks, it's just like AIs. They have a tendency to look down on humans like butchers eyeing their cattle.

"Let Hamada know. Tell him that I can accept his deal if he takes up his offer to 120%." Johnson brought out his phone, making a call.

Whatever deal it was, it must've been very tempting to Hamada because he chose to come here personally to conclude the agreement.

Hamada and Johnson may be very competitive, but in the former's mind, it's merely mild in-gang conflict.

The same couldn't be said for Johnson who is out for blood and has been planning for a while to eliminate competition.

Hamada, on the other hand, was competing on the business side of things, trying to show off his worth to the gang leaders.

He's very much business-minded, and the Tyger Claws are overall pursuing business more than violence, although they do not oppose the latter.

However, violence can sometimes get in the way of their business, thus the Tyger Claws almost always favor business.

Therefore, Hamada never really saw Johnson as competition for control over Old Japantown and even struck quite a few deals with him.

Hamada considers Johnson to be a meathead who can be exploited at will, although he is still wary of him, thus why he usually brings several bodyguards with him.

Today was the same as Hamada arrived at Johnson's office with several of his best bodyguards.

Hamada was a man of average height and very lean physique, nothing like Johnson. He was a businessman, and he looked like a businessman.

"Have to say, I'm surprised you're accepting my proposal now considering how adamantly you had rejected it just last month," It wasn't his office, but he sure as hell treated it as such.

Just like Johnson... No, even more than him, Hamada reeks of an air of pure unbridled arrogance.

It seems to come as second nature to people of their stature, to people whose word can bring about death to many.

"Well, things change, and I need the fucking money, so let's get this over with," Johnson seemed unhappy with the deal as he threw Hamada a tablet for him to sign, the contract.

"So I just have to sign this, and it's done, huh?" Hamada raised a brow, "But the problem is that my first offer was already above market value... Now you want me to raise it?"

"There is a reason you made an offer than high. The business is that profitable my choom," Johnson nodded.

"It's indeed a good business, but it will no longer be as attractive in my eyes with the price raised to 120% of my original offer... I don't do money-losing business," Hamada pointed out.

"So make your offer, but it better be higher than your first," Johnson was obviously trying to haggle himself a good deal, or at least make Hamada believe he was doing so.

It was all an act just to get Hamada to sign the contract which would require him to link to the tablet.

There are of course many other methods to making deals and signing contracts.

"Hmm... I can only up my offer to 107%. Going above that means that the profits will go beneath my bottom line... Do we have a deal?" Hamada made his offer.

"..." Johnson frowned, showing conflict, but in the end, he still agreed, "We have a deal."

They revised the contract and prepared to conclude the deal. All that remained was Hamada linking to the tablet and signing the contract.

It was all going well... Until it wasn't anymore as Hamada held the table in his hands without any intention of linking to it.

Hamada instead chose to walk back and forth while side-glancing at the confused Johnson.

Before Johnson could question his behavior, Hamada explained it well, "Had I not known, I would've been deceived... After all, I always believed you to be somewhat of a meathead."

"Huh? Watch your tongue lest I cut it out!!" Johnson might've shown anger at Hamada's words, but inside, an ominous premonition was overwhelming his mind.

"I must admit, I've underestimated your courage, intellect, and stupidity alike. I mean, you dared plan to kill me! And I didn't know," Hamada seemed impressed.

"However, you actually dared plan to kill me... I mean, the Bosses would know... And they would kill you. Such conflicts are for the usable goods, the goons that we can replace at will, but people like me... We're of big value to the gang. We don't just die!! Are you fucking stupid?!"

Hamada was still impressed, just by Johnson's stupidity. The latter's expression showed infuriation as he questioned venomously, "How did you know?"

He already had a hunch. He already had a guess on who it was, but he still had to ask.

"Exactly who you think it's," Hamada smiled.

"Damn you! Damn you all!!" Johnson finally realized how fucked he was. They double-crossed him.

Therefore, he could only employ some desperate measures as he activated his Berserk, his skin turning red, his body overwhelmed.

The pressure he put on Hamada and his bodyguards was tremendous, as if looking at a wild beast seeking to devour them all.

Yet it all came crashing down in a split second as the stunned Johnson realized that his body was failing him, literally falling to the ground, all powerless.

"I've heard you spiked your back like a dinosaur, and I thought it was just your stupid fashion sense, but you really installed Berserk," Hamada finally frowned.

"That's how you wanted to kill me, with the element of surprise. You know that there are ways to counter it... Hell, I've prepared some now, but it seems they were unnecessary," Hamada murmured.

"Why!!! I've listened to your instructions!!! Why just use me like this!!!?" Johnson's deafening cries of anger were most definitely heard by their target audience.

[No. You have clearly not listened to instructions. We've told you before to just blink in response, yet you spoke when you weren't instructed to]

"Huh? That's it? That's it?! Are fucking with me you controlling mother fucking corp retards!!!!" Johnson was now not just angry, but in madness due to the silliness of the situation.

However, he was ignored, [As for you Mr. Hamada. We'll take care of Johnson's suspicious death. We have used his access to create a High Table identity, an assassin by the name of M. He will take credit for Johnson's death. It will still be suspicious, but the suspicion will now lead to somewhere else, the real 'Assassin']

"And I'll hold up my end of the bargain. When your people contact me, I'll accept their deal," Hamada politely nodded, obviously unwilling to talk more.

He was always advised by some of his higher-up contacts to not involve himself with unknown AIs. They have a way of messing with people's heads.

[It was a pleasure working with you, Mr. Hamada] The conversation that happened was only ever heard by Johnson and Hamada, the latter by messages while the former heard it directly in his head.

The AI has seemingly cut off contact, but Hamada would definitely not assume so. Never trust those monsters, is an advice he once got, one he follows by heart.

In fact, he was so much of a fan of the advice that he was planning to clean the mess himself instead of leaving it to the AI's method, the fake Assassin M.

He would never give the mysterious AI so much power, but he would gladly use the power it granted him as it left him a paralyzed Johnson, "My precious friend... Where were we again?"