The black market has its own way of selling, and the white market has its own way.
If Lin Miao operates a workshop selling goods on the black market, then questions of compliance and licensing are irrelevant; it’s all about being wanton and brazen. Buy if you like, if not, forget it. There’s not even a need for after-sales service.
However, this kind of business can never grow big, and even the quality of the products is not guaranteed. At most, it can sell to nearby gangs, as those with money and bases don’t use these black market goods. It can’t even create brand effects, and others can easily replicate it.
But Lin Miao isn’t stingy; he spent money to smooth the way and secured all the necessary paperwork, even if it’s just label production. Even if his materials come from the garbage mountain, it’s all the same.
No one would really believe Zeta Technology hires homeless people at 50 euro a day to pick up trash from biochemical zones for environmental protection, would they?
The laws of Night City are made by big corporations. To legitimize their actions, they naturally make it convenient for people like Lin Miao, who run companies and ’go legit’.
There are laws to follow, and everyone must follow them, understand?
Not to mention, Lin Miao even pays his taxes to avoid people finding fault.
Although Night City won’t protect those who pay taxes, at least legally, no one can criticize him.
Now, these are being used against Lin Miao?
When Lin Miao presented his tax record to the Sixth Street Gang’s advisor, his face turned green.
All ten companies in Night City evade taxes, and this trick, which always worked before, unexpectedly encountered an ’honest person’ today?
"I won’t say much, Lin Miao." William coughed, trying to shift the focus to himself.
"This factory is on our turf. Even NCPD can’t cross the line. What you’re doing in Evil Land won’t work here. Our rules are the rules."
Even though he likes the gear worth twenty thousand euro a piece, William knows the weight between equipment and his own status.
"Selling goods to the Valentino gang is standing against the Sixth Street Gang. Those who oppose us never end well, and my dead brothers need an explanation."
William considers himself a reasonable man, but unfortunately, this reasoning is only shared with his Sixth Street Gang brothers.
After he finished speaking, two bodyguards filled with combat implants behind him itched to act. One reached for a heavy machine gun on his back, and the other reached for the revolver at his thigh. He was evidently a quick-draw shooter, likely the kind that could fire seventeen shots in two seconds.
"William Burn, let me remind you, this is the third floor of the office; the rules here prohibit violence."
William Burn slammed the table, casting a lofty and intimidating gaze downwards, seemingly trying to put pressure on Lin Miao.
"I said, this is Sixth Street Gang’s turf. Besides us, no one’s words count!"
The quick-draw shooter’s hand moved so fast it left afterimages, pointing the gun at Lin Miao and pulling the trigger in under 0.2 seconds.
This was William and his subordinates’ usual tactic of using force in negotiations, which usually worked on corporate yes-men.
Though he had seen Lin Miao break into tunnels and open fire on Night Wanderers, William knew once a person has assets, they tend to weaken.
Whether for money or status, they mostly choose to compromise. After all, Sixth Street Gang isn’t stopping him from doing business; they just don’t want him selling to the Valentino gang.
However, what William didn’t expect was that the bullets didn’t land near Lin Miao’s ears. He sat there calm and composed, without any reaction.
The bullets hit the ceiling.
More precisely, they scraped past the shooter’s head into the sky. Just a slight deviation, and the revolver’s barrel would have blown the shooter’s head off.
The gunman showed a pained expression, sweat continuously beading on his forehead, and his prosthetic right hand holding the gun trembled uncontrollably, seemingly wrestling with an unseen force, squeezing out words through clenched teeth.
"Watch out...there’s...there’s a hacker, quickly disconnect the network connection."
As elite bodyguards for the cadre, the ICE in their brains, even if not military-grade, is nearly so. But despite that, they were silently controlled, indicating the other party is a top hacker in Night City.
"Mr. William, it would be best for your men to be careful. If his head goes off because of a misfire, it’s a small matter, but if your head goes, you’ll have one less business partner. That would make me very sad."
"So we should sit down and talk things over slowly."
Lin Miao poured a cup of tea for William with the teapot he had set aside.
"Here, it’s an authentic product, good for softening blood vessels and preventing high blood pressure."
He doesn’t really drink or brew tea, but that didn’t stop Lin Miao from feeling that Wagako’s tea-brewing actions had style and flair after returning from Cloud Peak, so he tried to imitate them.
And really, after trying it, the effect was impressive – calm and distinguished.
As for the Sixth Street Gang thugs who burst through the door upon hearing gunshots, holding various firearms aimed at the guy across the desk, Lin Miao didn’t even glance at them, treating them like air.
William also didn’t accept the tea offered by the other party but stared intently at Lin Miao.
He knew using force today probably wouldn’t settle the matter. Even if they cut the brain network ports and started a gunfight, the opponent wouldn’t necessarily back down.
William had heard the stories about how this guy fought his way out of the Tiger Claw’s base. Especially knowing this was the other’s turf, if it were anyone else here, he’d surely push them to start a fight with Lin Miao; after all, it wouldn’t be him who died.