Firefighting efforts were in full swing in the Watson District.
Every alleyway had people bravely putting out fires, countless hoses spurting jets of water that formed a curtain to gradually suppress the rising flames.
At this moment, past conflicts between people seemed trivial in the face of this natural disaster affecting everyone.
Be it the Vortex Gang, the Tyger Claws, or anyone else, rare were the meetings where they did not jeer at each other or draw guns, instead just exchanging glances and focusing on their tasks.
"It’s rare... for this group to meet without breaking into a fight."
Forcing a resident to replace his mechanical legs before returning to the fire scene, Brother Ni was holding a nozzle, putting out the fire at a store, and he remarked as he watched the Tyger Claws members rushing into the flames to save people nearby,
"Who would’ve thought these rescuing bastards were the same drug dealers going door-to-door collecting protection fees every day?"
And now, if players ran into them at a drug den, they’d definitely make them overdose on metals leading to lead poisoning and death.
Brother Dao, passing by while constantly taking photos with a camera, heard Brother Ni’s remark and said slowly,
"Humans are social animals; many times, their choices are not necessarily intentional but are influenced by the surrounding environment creating different perceptions."
"We are so opposed to addictive substances because we’ve suffered big losses from them in the past, and we’ve been taught from a young age that doing so leads to a bad end, instilled from top to bottom, so you resist these things from the heart."
Brother Dao looked at those Tyger Claw members, their ages ranging from fifteen or sixteen to thirty or forty, wasting their prime years in the gang,
"What about them? Do they have such living conditions? In Night City, ten people out of ten have a drug use history; all kinds of pills are everywhere in the streets and alleys, and if you’re not careful, you’ll get hooked with no escape."
"In such circumstances, can you develop a wariness toward drugs?"
"Even if you don’t take them, knowing the harm of drugs, what do you do when your implants hurt? Time-release medications? Can you afford them?"
"That stuff costs seventy to eighty Eurogold per injection, while a hallucinogenic painkiller pill costs only a few Euros. With such a high unemployment rate, where can you find the money for good drugs?"
"In the end, doesn’t it become joining gangs to produce, sell, and consume?"
Demand creates a market, and the market brings profit.
When a legitimate market can’t meet demand, it’s inevitable that criminal groups will arise to take risks for profits.
"But it doesn’t mean they’re inherently bad people; the environment shapes people, and people shape the environment. Drop them in our place to grow up, and they’d be model citizens."
Brother Ni shook his head, finding it hard to imagine the environment these people grew up in, living in Dongda.
This made him feel that his current sympathy seemed somewhat hypocritical.
Brother Dao patted his shoulder,
"It’s just a game. Why think so much? Just take it as a lesson."
"I just feel like something’s off with this event being just about firefighting."
This fire was witnessed by players igniting, and the perpetrator has fled. What could be off?
They couldn’t be making a comeback, could they?
What would be the point?
If they really wanted to act, wouldn’t they have done it the moment players were blown to pieces?
Brother Ni handed the hose to a passerby and pointed towards the direction of the Huang Ban seashore, saying,
"See? Not a firefighter in sight, yet the security companies are all over protecting their corporate property."
"Such a big event in the Watson District, yet the Night City Government hasn’t reacted at all. Isn’t that odd?"
"With such a tightly-run game world logic, do you think the planners would leave such a big loophole?"
"Tell the brothers to get their gear ready; someone is definitely going to cause trouble."
"Better to be prepared."
On the top of a van, the PR team held a temporary makeshift flag and waved it constantly, also holding a megaphone,
"For Super Earth! For managed democracy! Push harder, brothers!"
"The No-Shit General is watching over you, and the glory of Super Earth is with you!"
Although most of the populace was confused, not understanding what Super Earth or the No-Shit General was, the players were amused, shouting back,
"Long live Super Earth!"
"This must be the wicked biochemist Stan’s doing!"
"Truly an evil force!"
Then, like adrenaline-pumped participants, they charged to the front lines of the fire scene.
Unlike the players, the two people from Super Earth’s A2 team did not enter the fire scene to fight the fire but were involved in coordinating resources and transporting the wounded at the back.
2B, while moving pharmaceuticals rescued by players from a burning drugstore, suddenly paused,
A person wearing the black standard tactical suit that the players favored, worth 200 Eurogold.
He moved through the crowd towards the fire scene, holding a can of foam extinguisher, seemingly going to extinguish the fire.
On his face was the same kind of excitement that regular folks couldn’t understand, making him look no different from the players.
But the problem was...
Above his head floated the blue NPC name.
Of course, the game equipment is also available to NPCs, so it’s not impossible for a mercenary to fancy a set of custom uniforms commissioned by Lin Miao from a clothing factory and buy it for themselves.