Chapter 22: Cybernetic Clinic

"Yes, that's right, another one closed."

Jaliden sat in his recliner, answering the screen before him.

On the other end of the screen was a dimly lit room with peeling walls, centered around a blood-stained surgical bed—on which a person was currently lying.

Next, a gaunt figure slowly approached the bedside, a slender scalpel tracing a dangerous arc.

Seeing this, the person on the bed began to thrash wildly, but bound by restraint straps, he could only watch helplessly as the other party drew closer.

Beside the surgical bed stood several open cooling chests, a wisp of dense cold air rising into the dim light.

"I can pay it back! I really have the ability to pay! Just give me more time! Really! Ugh! Just give me a little—"

The next moment, the man's struggles and wails on the surgical bed, along with the figure holding the scalpel, were blocked by a large, sudden face.

"Damn it! Cut the act! Who do you think you're scaring?"

Jaliden was startled, then burst into a tirade.

"Who has the time to scare you? What kind of bullshit are you talking about? I'm adjusting the camera!"

The other party didn't hold back, cursing casually while fiddling with the positioning.

After a while, the person moved away from the camera and sat down.

"How much did you lend?"

"Only 120,000. I was afraid of not getting it back if I lent more. But I checked the file, and I feel this kid barely qualifies as a potential stock; we can take it slow in the future."

Hearing this, the other party nodded, then sighed.

"The gang's funds are tight lately, and with the competition in the organ trade so high, we're relying on your lending to make money. We really suffer for lacking the technology. These guys can't pay, so we can only harvest their organs for a one-off sale..."

"Still no progress on the tech-slaves?" Jaliden frowned.

"No, every one we modify dies; their brains just turn to mush. The few that survive only last four or five days. In terms of this tech, the legitimate stuff on the black market is too expensive, and the cheap stuff is all flawed. There's no way around it."

The other party spread their hands. "Parose isn't what it was a few years ago. Everyone is doing organ trading now; the competition is too intense, and those corporate dogs are driving prices down to the ground. Damn them to hell."

"Forget it, no point in talking about it." The other party cursed, shook their head, and said, "Just keep it in mind. The boss is going to negotiate with the leader of the Steel Blade Gang later to discuss the ownership of Pine Stone Street, and I still need to get my gear ready."

Without waiting for a reply, the other party cut the video feed.

Jaliden grunted, grabbed a handful of colorful candies from the table, peeled one, and tossed it into his mouth. The chemical addictive agents mixed into the candy dissolved rapidly, merging into his bloodstream.

A familiar, addictive sensation of lightheadedness surged through his body. Jaliden relaxed, leaned back, and let out a long breath.

A person's mental capacity for cybernetic implants is limited. The theoretical limit for a normal human is 50%, but under normal circumstances, 40% is already a dangerous threshold, with a high probability of inducing cyberpsychosis.

Even for gang members like him, accustomed to violence and living day-to-day, the degree of modification is usually only around 30%.

To be specific, a person's upper body, including the head, accounts for 70% of the total body, while the lower body accounts for 30%.

Because of this, many people are unwilling to replace body parts with "implants," preferring "biological organs" instead.

Emerald Pharmaceuticals cultivates custom-made "biological organs" in petri dishes based on individual data. While these are excellent, such high-level service is too expensive; even the average middle class would find it painful.

Therefore.

Where there is consumption, there is a market, and where there is a market, there is profit. Even in this era, the organ trade has not been eradicated; organs harvested from living people are much cheaper than those from Emerald Pharmaceuticals.

However, a few years ago, when the "Enlightened" were at their most active, people in Parose were at least outwardly restrained, and underground organ trading and similar activities decreased significantly—no one wanted to be an example of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey."

Especially when facing a group of "Enlightened."

Those lunatics did lose often, but who were they up against? Not giant corporations or the actual controllers of economic entities. Facing these overlords who dared to raze entire cities, the fact that the "Enlightened" could be defeated without being wiped out spoke volumes.

Scarcity makes things valuable, and organs were quite expensive during that time...

But that was old news.

A year ago, the Emerald Pharmaceuticals branch in Parose suddenly launched an offensive, leading the United Government’s armed forces to strike against the local Enlightened, leaving the latter severely crippled.

Consequently, over the past year, the momentum of the Enlightened has been far less than before, their activities have significantly decreased, and they no longer hold any deterrent power.

One gang after another, with no idea how long they will last, has popped up, and considering ways to make quick money, they have all coincidentally chosen loan sharking. Once a victim can't pay, they arrange for them to borrow from other platforms, then harvest their organs to sell.

"Pfft, resisting the corporations..."

Jaliden chewed his candy and scoffed, casting these thoughts aside to fully immerse himself in the online gambling game before him.

...

After getting into a taxi, the young man's expression changed instantly.

The previous fear and naivety faded, replaced by calmness.

The "young man" from a moment ago was clearly Song Shi.

"Haven't done this in a long time, but it seems my skills haven't gotten rusty?"

Song Shi leaned back in the seat, looking out the window.

In this world, what is the fastest way to make money?

—Of course, it's online loans.

No collateral, no credit check, instant approval, fast disbursement—convenient and quick. Is there any way in this world to make money faster than this?

As for the personal file from earlier, it was naturally forged.

His own networking skills couldn't be considered top-tier, but in a small place like this, forging a personal information file wasn't a problem.

Of course, this forged file was by no means flawless or perfect, but at least for the next two weeks or so, the other party wouldn't detect any loopholes.

And by the time they realized something was wrong or intended to collect payment...

Song Shi smiled.

Sitting in the car for half an hour, Song Shi suddenly spoke.

"Change the destination. Go to this address now."

A gentle voice immediately sounded in the car.

"Respected customer, according to our company's service policy, for temporary changes to the itinerary, you are required to pay an additional 25% of the travel fee..."

"Fine."

"Please pay now."

"......No problem."

Following the confirmation on the payment interface, the car's service AI's voice became cheerful and enthusiastic:

"Please fasten your seatbelt; the journey begins now!"

Another half-hour passed, and Song Shi stepped out of the autonomous taxi.

He looked at the location on the map and then at the alley ahead.

"Let me see, 'Kakadan' Cybernetic Clinic..."