So, for the biotechnology company, they only have two choices.
Either stop here, or take advantage of the fact that the external aid from the Adcardo hasn't been prepared and let the virus outbreak early to make a quick profit.
As for the risk of public opinion, biotechnology has always been indifferent—without hard evidence, it's just rumors. They have always prided themselves on saving people's lives.
But this time, the biotechnology company has miscalculated.
Because this time, the external aid the Adcardans found is Mercer.
And Mercer has clearly been displeased with biotechnology for a long time.
So, Mercer plans to start with this poisoning incident, determined to completely drive biotechnology out of Night City.
And to accomplish this, he needs allies.
The first is the passionate and somewhat idealistic Congressman Jefferson.
Although the other party has not yet made a statement, Mercer believes that as long as he presents the vaccine and evidence of another poisoning by biotechnology, Jefferson will definitely be willing to join him in targeting biotechnology.
Moreover, if this matter is handled well, it can accumulate political capital for Jefferson and add to his reputation for his future mayoral campaign, a win-win situation.
The second is Ye Corporation, whom Mercer plans to deal with personally—although the grudge from their last annoyance hasn't passed, Mercer knows that addressing issues on a case-by-case basis is the quality of an adult, or rather, an excellent businessman.
"A gentleman takes revenge, even after ten years."
Their previous assistance to Arasaka in tripping up Mercer will be settled harshly sooner or later, but right now, he indeed needs Ye Corporation to help drive out biotechnology.
The reason lies in the fact that Ye Corporation still wields significant influence over City Hall and undertakes many essential services for Night City's infrastructure. Whether it's exposing the biotechnology company's wrongdoing to drive them out now,
or further developing Night City's agriculture and livestock industry to normalize the food sector, Ye Corporation, a local of Night City, needs to contribute financially and otherwise.
The third, then, is the Adcardans.
Mercer cannot make clothes for others for free in the food market. He cannot engage in farming and animal husbandry, but he can profit as a food importer and processor.
In short, the complete plan is for Mercer to first negotiate successfully with Jefferson and Ye Corporation, for Jefferson to represent the public opinion attack against the biotechnology company.
Ye Corporation will pressure the City Hall councilors to amend previous bills, forcing biotechnology to pay huge fines, taxes, and compensation to force them out.
Then, Mercer will provide new technology—developing synthetic foods to seize the market.
On the other hand, Ye Corporation and Jefferson will lead the introduction of bills within the city, while outside the city, Mercer will provide technology for gradually restoring agriculture and agricultural trade outside Night City.
Agricultural production does not necessarily have to be carried out near Night City. Mercer has already approached companies in the Free States and New America, like Texas, for food businesses.
He plans to trade these foods with the Adcardans, establishing a food trading company to import grains into Night City.
If the regular route is unsuccessful, he might resort to smuggling cheap food through Dog Town to crush the biotechnology food market.
Even frozen meat and canned vegetables are more like human food than sticky synthetic food, aren't they?
What Mercer aims to do afterward is to further develop grain seeds resistant to biotechnology poisoning and vaccines to fend off genetic viruses in animals, breaking the vicious monopoly biotechnology has on the grain industry.
This is a long process, but Mercer remains determined to start from here—he believes that one day, everyone in Night City will enjoy fresh vegetables and meat at prices no more expensive than synthetic instant food.
...
And the subsequent development of events was as Mercer had largely anticipated.
According to the intelligence information gathered by Venus through the ctOS System, the influenza situation in the Santo Domingo area began to rapidly worsen and spread throughout the city.
At the same time, the development of Mercer's vaccine rapidly advanced to the third phase of clinical trials, with sufficient funds and time allowed.
Meanwhile, his company also expanded rapidly and quietly, with Congressman Jefferson's assistance and the added connections from Dog Town.
Mercer successively set up a food company and acquired a bankrupt food processing plant in a location close to Taiping Prefecture.
He also established a legal pharmaceutical company licensed by Night City to produce and sell approved medicines.
At the same time, he proactively negotiated grain import agreements with various major Free States, despite the previous Night City regulations that prohibited the appearance of large quantities of legal low-cost foods in Night City.
Nevertheless, he finalized contracts with substantial breach-of-contract penalties.
Even if he couldn't promote further opening of the Night City's grain trade laws, he could still smuggle the grains into Night City through Dog Town.
It's just that the transportation cost would be higher.
In addition, Mercer bolstered the company initially set up for the team's dividends, officially designating the parent company as 'Giant God Investment'.
Underneath this Giant God Investment parent company, Mercer established three enterprises—'Giant God Technology', 'Giant God Military Industry', 'Giant God Heavy Industry'—through cross-shareholding of individuals and companies.
Among them, Giant God Technology Company holds Mercer's patents in software technology and other advanced technologies.
Giant God Military Industry is responsible for producing these patented advanced weapons and equipment.
Giant God Heavy Industry currently only constructs a small nuclear power plant in Dog Town, but Mercer's goal is vast. He aims to eventually make his company achieve a true global presence with an owned industrial supply chain.
Besides, food companies and other companies are also controlled by Giant God Investment and personally by him. Mercer also established a legal company, 'Giant God Logistics', for Dog Town operations.
Most Netherworld Dog soldiers were incorporated into Giant God Military Industry, while stadium researchers entered Giant God Technology. Those responsible for smuggling in the Adcardo were persuaded by Mercer to join Giant God Logistics.
There's no corporate entity, but this doesn't hinder Mercer from signing contracts, paying salaries, and providing due welfare and insurance—this is truly his act of kindness, adding significant cost to himself.
The reason for establishing such formal companies is not Mercer's act of kindness; he knows very well that in this age, relying solely on a warlord or a gang to get by is not feasible if you want to accomplish something.
Only by first having a corporate framework can you achieve further development.
While Mercer prepared an extensive net against the biotechnology company in secret and actively developed his own business,
another piece of news, neither good nor bad, reached his ears at the end of 2075.
...
[Arasaka Yoshinobu: I got Silver Hand's Relic.]