Although Lucius had given them no face at all, Biotechnica still refused to abandon the idea of eradicating the Mechanicus.
At headquarters, the top executive made a direct and uncompromising decision:
No matter the cost, the Mechanicus had to be eliminated.
Since its founding, Biotechnica had never suffered such humiliation. To be charged "protection fees" by a cult of all things—this was an insult they could not swallow.
Even if it were only for the company's dignity and reputation, the Mechanicus had to be wiped out. No one was allowed to bully Biotechnica.
Of course, this war was not merely about face—it was a war of ideologies.
You could tell from the name alone that Biotechnica's core lay in biotechnology.
Prosthetic inhibitors, high-sugar wheat, cloning, resurrecting extinct species, ecological plantations—these were all Biotechnica research projects, and each had already achieved preliminary results. In Night City, they had even established a massive primitive botanical garden.
(PS: The place where Rebecca and David were killed was this very botanical garden built by Biotechnica.)
The slogan Biotechnica championed was "primitive and natural." Even when it came to enhancement, they favored biological modification—hormone injections, genetic treatments, and body-strengthening drugs—while mechanical implants were used as little as possible.
Because of this philosophy, Biotechnica never forced its employees to install prohibitively expensive cyberware. Among Night City's megacorporations, it was considered one with at least a shred of conscience.
The notorious Animals Gang of Night City was backed and cultivated by Biotechnica itself.
The Animals rejected traditional cyberware entirely. Instead, they flooded their bodies with massive doses of testosterone, growth hormones, and animal-derived supplements to achieve overwhelming physical strength.
They pursued the most savage and primal side of humanity, attempting to shatter the boundary between human and beast and evolve into an entirely new subspecies.
To that end, they subjected themselves to brutal, violent combat training and constantly challenged opponents equipped with advanced cybernetic enhancements.
In every sense, they were the polar opposite of the Mechanicus.
One side sought muscle ascension, embracing the wildness of nature.
The other sought mechanical ascension, discarding weak flesh without hesitation.
Their conflict was not only commercial—it was philosophical. Every Biotechnica member wanted nothing more than to slaughter every follower of the Mechanicus.
After all, the Mechanicus possessed technology that completely suppressed cyberware load, all while loudly proclaiming that flesh is weak and that mechanical ascension was the future.
If everyone was drawn toward mechanical ascension, who would still use biotechnology?
This was nothing short of cutting off Biotechnica's lifeline.
War had to begin.
It must begin.
To gather overwhelming force and annihilate the Mechanicus in a single strike, Biotechnica headquarters directly allocated 200 million euros as military expenditure.
Fifty million euros were used to purchase dimension chips, which were distributed free of charge to Arasaka Corporation and Militech troops. Even the Violent Terrorist Mobile Team received a batch as donations.
Another fifty million euros went toward weapons, supplies, and logistical needs, while also establishing a massive bounty pool—anyone who killed a high-ranking Mechanicus leader could claim their reward in cash.
The remaining 100 million euros were spent hiring Arasaka, Militech, and the private security forces of various major corporations.
This time, Biotechnica truly spared no expense.
Xiao, meanwhile, made an absolute killing.
Not only did he secure a massive 50-million-euro order, he also elevated Wapol Toy Company into the ranks of third-tier corporations.
In one stroke, he eroded over one thousand elite corporate soldiers, along with their top-tier cyberware blueprints. The value of those blueprints alone far exceeded 100 million euros.
As for the fact that Biotechnica was buying his products to fight his own Mechanicus—there was nothing he could do about that. Unless you refused to sell entirely, others would always find a way to acquire your technology.
Even so, Biotechnica specifically demanded that the dimension chips Xiao sold them not be connected to the Wapol network.
They were to be used purely to increase cyberware compatibility—an obvious attempt to reduce the risk of Xiao spying on them.
Xiao had no objections.
Cutting off network functionality didn't reduce the price anyway—and because it was a customized version, each chip cost an additional 2,000 euros.
He still vividly remembered the expression on the face of Biotechnica's procurement director when he heard that price.
It looked like someone who had just eaten shit.
Extremely satisfying.
However, just as Biotechnica was preparing to mobilize its massive army and crush the Mechanicus, another wave of trouble arrived.
The Mechanicus began making moves of its own.
First, they publicly cured a cyberpsycho and had him give a speech, attracting countless mercenaries who once survived on illegal contracts. As a result, the bounty system collapsed overnight.
Then came even more shocking news—
The Mechanicus had mastered a method to purify polluted land and water, and had freely shared it with all believers.
In an instant, the Mechanicus' influence soared to unprecedented heights.
Biotechnica was thrown into complete disarray.
The army assembled at the cost of 200 million euros disintegrated almost immediately, soldiers abandoning the cause one after another.
Because everyone understood one thing clearly:
Attacking the Mechanicus now meant becoming the enemy of all lower-class citizens in Night City.
Clean land.
Clean water.
Even in Night City, in the year 2077, vast numbers of people still died from organ failure caused by drinking heavily polluted industrial water.
The beverage industry flourished—cheap drinks, advanced processing, endless technological tricks.
But people drank them only because they had no choice.
A single bottle of pure water cost half a month's salary for a bottom-tier worker.
If the Mechanicus' claims were true, then the Church wouldn't need to lift a finger.
The masses would willingly risk their lives to clear every obstacle in its path—
All so that their descendants could drink one sip of clean water, eat one bite of clean food.
Anyone who dared stand in their way would become their mortal enemy.
No corporation—no matter how powerful—dared to oppose millions of people.
If they didn't lower their guns, they feared their own teammates would kill them first.
As a result, every corporation that Biotechnica had rallied to attack the Mechanicus withdrew.
Even Arasaka, Militech, and the Ye Group backing the Terrorist Mobile Team returned the dimension chips, bluntly stating:
"We can't handle this."
…
…
Soon after, the Cult of the Mechanicus released a video—Mewtwo footage—showing believers working together to purify the land and restore life to the earth.
Night City erupted.
They had witnessed a true miracle—an unprecedented divine grace.
Long live the Adeptus Mechanicus!
Praise the God of All Opportunities!
Praise Om Messiah!
Countless civilians chanted slogans and poured into the Badlands, searching for Mechanicus gathering sites to join the faith.
After all, under the Mechanicus' control, the Badlands had already gained order.
The night ghosts were gone.
The chaos knives had vanished.
…
…
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