So much so that many of the corporations' high-level analytical departments had already begun to suspect that the true force backing the Adeptus Mechanicus was none other than Wapol Toy Company.
Otherwise, how could a bunch of so-called trash suddenly master so many cutting-edge technologies—and even wield the power of Dimensional Chips?
On the surface, Xiao had publicly claimed that the Dimensional Chip was something the Mechanicus had independently cracked. But who really knew who copied from whom—or whether the two sides had belonged to the same camp from the very beginning?
As for Xiao's ability to reverse-engineer Sandevistan technology, no one found that surprising in the slightest. Who in Night City didn't know that the weakened Zeta-Type I Sandevistan prosthetics sold across the market had long since come from Xiao and Hansen? That technology had already flooded the world.
Once things reached this point, it became nothing more than an internal dispute between corporations.
And when it came to internal corporate affairs, even if you were unhappy, you could only swallow the loss in silence.
According to long-standing corporate law—the rules between companies—even if you knew perfectly well that I was the mastermind, unless you caught me red-handed, you were expected to shut your mouth and wait while I reaped the rewards.
This was precisely why countless corporate agents could wreak havoc within rival companies. As long as they successfully returned to their own headquarters, no other corporation had the right to pursue responsibility.
Some of them would even receive a "settlement bonus," be given a modest residency requirement, and then retire comfortably with a pile of money.
All of this was legal. All of it was effective.
And there were countless real-life examples.
It could be said that not killing the donkey after it finished pulling the millstone was the final mercy capital showed its heroes.
That was also why, even though everyone knew corporations weren't human beings, there were still countless people willing to crawl at their feet like loyal dogs.
As for the corporation that got cheated and wanted revenge?
Sure—you could try.
But the prerequisite was simple: first, you had to find the target. And you couldn't use your own people. You could only hire mercenaries to carry out an assassination.
If you crossed that line, you'd be openly challenging the rules established by the entirety of capital itself.
These were the written rules between corporations—rules hammered out through multiple corporate wars to prevent the world from being completely destroyed.
After weighing all factors and the strategic value of the Badlands, Xiao ultimately designated the Badlands as the location of the Mechanicus' first core base.
First, there weren't many resources there to begin with—truly dispensable from the corporate perspective.
Second, as long as the rules weren't broken, even if everyone guessed that Xiao was backing the Mechanicus behind the scenes, no corporation had the right to move against him.
Even if his influence in Night City wasn't particularly large, he was still part of capital—one of them.
If the megacorporations cleaned up Xiao today without consequence, they could clean up any other company tomorrow.
At that point, small companies would be in constant danger, and even the giants themselves wouldn't feel secure under a system where unity turned into unchecked power.
…
…
While most corporations gradually fell silent after piecing together the truth, there was one glaring exception.
That exception was the company that had suffered the greatest losses in the holy war—
Biotechnica.
Not only did they refuse to shut up, they loudly threatened to wipe out those trash fanatics from the Mechanicus entirely.
The reason was simple: the irreconcilable conflict over ownership of the Protein Farms.
Although the Adeptus Mechanicus hadn't fully seized those farms, Biotechnica was now forced to pay a monthly "charitable donation" to keep them running.
The reason?
Before the Mechanicus even occupied the Badlands, they had already legally purchased the entire region from Night City City Hall—at an absurdly low price.
Night City's stance toward the Badlands had always been clear: skim a little money if you could, but don't expect much. After all, the area had never truly been under Night City's control, and its security was still better than the Badlands of Taiping Prefecture.
Everyone had been using it for free. Now that someone was willing to pay to take it over, City Hall was naturally happy to agree.
Clean money. Political achievements.
What no one expected was that someone would actually conquer the Badlands—unify them completely, and restore order.
Mayor Lucius Lane was, in fact, delighted.
If the Mechanicus was willing to nominally accept government jurisdiction, it would be a solid political achievement—perfect resume material—and virtually guarantee his re-election.
Thus, he directly increased donations and subsidies to the Mechanicus.
He even went so far as to propose giving Taiping Prefecture to them for free.
All in an attempt to persuade the Mechanicus to return, at least on paper, under Night City City Hall's authority. If order could be restored, even better.
The Mechanicus readily accepted the mayor's goodwill.
As long as the donations continued, the Badlands and Taiping Prefecture would remain Night City's Badlands in name.
Moreover, all Mechanicus members were willing to support Mayor Lucius' re-election.
Lucius nearly jumped for joy.
The influence of the Mechanicus was expanding at an alarming rate—hundreds of thousands of followers.
Those were votes. Real votes.
The two sides hit it off instantly, colluding shamelessly, and quickly finalized a cooperation agreement.
What Lucius didn't realize was that while he walked away contentedly with a suitcase full of cash, his decision spelled disaster for Biotechnica.
Nearly all of Biotechnica's protein farms were located either in Taiping Prefecture or the Badlands—and every single one of them was an illegal structure built through forced land occupation.
In the past, thanks to Biotechnica's vast wealth and the strength of its hired wasteland guards, Night City City Hall didn't dare provoke them. The tribes and Blade Guilds of the Badlands didn't dare get close either.
But the Mechanicus?
They didn't tolerate bad habits.
On the spot, they declared that both the Badlands and Taiping Prefecture belonged to them—and that all unauthorized and illegal structures would be demolished.
Biotechnica was driven into a corner.
They had no legal standing. They couldn't win by force.
In the end, they could only choose to pay—ahem—donate money to purchase permits and secure temporary land leases from the Mechanicus.
At the very least, they had to harvest this batch of crops.
Otherwise, the losses from this single year would be enough to drag the entire Night City branch—from the CEO down to the department heads—straight into the ocean.
Biotechnica sought help from Mayor Lucius, demanding that City Hall recognize the land ownership they had paid dearly for, at least in name.
Lucius looked distressed on the surface.
But inside?
He was overjoyed.
Who told you to build farms without buying the land first?
Now you've finally smashed into a wall.
In truth, he had no intention of reclaiming the land.
Not only because he needed the Mechanicus' support—but because that was the Mechanicus, darling.
To placate them and secure their backing, Lucius had even gifted them an entire Prefecture—just to prevent the Mechanicus from suddenly declaring independence and launching a holy war against Night City.
The cooperation agreement had barely been signed, and now Biotechnica wanted him to turn around and stab his new ally in the back?
If Lucius gave that order in the morning, he'd already be cold by the afternoon.
Did they really think the Mechanicus' Court of Punishment was made of clay?
You can't defeat the Mechanicus head-on with Biotechnica's strength—
And now you want me, a puppet mayor, to fight them for you?
Are you joking?
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