"Without any evidence, just based on a guess and logical reasoning, you want to bring me and Gago here for interrogation after managing Dog Town for six or seven years. Do you think the people behind you dare to let you do this?"

"Exposing the mastermind, breaking the conspiracy of Military Technology and New America, do you think you are very capable?"

Handz turned back to look at Daniel and his colleagues. Despite his hands still being bound by strong magnetic handcuffs, he was the one who held the initiative at the moment.

Handz's tone was mocking.

"Do you know how many connections and relationships are needed to operate a North American smuggling network like Dog Town? What do you think you can get out of me? Guess how many people will receive this message within five minutes of me being caught here."

"You say you're here to investigate smuggling missiles, but the question is... will those people believe you? I have so much in my hands that even a slight leak can ensure you won't sleep again after leaving this door today."

"I've walked this path for many years, met many people, offended many people, but I only learned one thing."

Handz spoke as he walked back to the table and sat back in his seat.

"That is, every industry, every company, every department in this world has its own rules of the game, whether overt or covert. It's best to quickly learn these rules, but most people die before they even understand what rules of the game are. Do you know why?"

"Just like you two now, self-righteous."

Lin Miao dared to kill Hansen because too many people wanted him dead, while Handz and Gago—not even Lin Miao wanted them dead. He even planned to let them continue managing the future underground smuggling market.

"You!"

Daniel's colleague felt insulted, immediately furious, ready to show this bluffing bearded man a lesson, but was quickly stopped by Daniel.

Interrogation?

Does interrogation even work in this era?

Either use chemicals to impact brain nerves, inducing the person to speak voluntarily, or use Mewtwo to make the person relaxed enough to talk, or forcefully use technology to search their memory, even torturing confessions or forcing them to admit guilt.

They both came from the European Community, so even killing dozens of people in the street at Night City wouldn't be a big deal, and no one would even investigate them.

Why waste time with Handz here now?

Isn't it just because Handz holds a lot of evidence and connections related to smuggling?

Half of these are crimes involving companies and government leaders from the European Community. If they dare make any outrageous moves, even with their special status, they probably wouldn't live past tomorrow.

This is also why Handz is certain that the European Community agents only brought him in for questioning. If they had really brought Gago along, many people on the European Community and Military Technology side would go crazy.

It's impossible for this group to leave Night City alive.

Handz: "Kids, be careful, your superiors who sent you to interrogate me... are vicious."

Just on the other side of the one-way mirror where Handz stood, only half a meter away from Handz, stood a middle-aged man with a look of helplessness.

Realizing it was impossible to get any valuable information from Handz's mouth, he could only say on the internal channel

"Release him."

Meanwhile — Yunding top private room

"Mr. Basil, come, let's have a drink."

Lin Miao enthusiastically held a bottle of wine, pouring it for the Cuban guest in front of him.

After the two downed their drinks, Basil said

"Mr. Lin, I believe you know that Dog Town's pharmaceutical business has always been run by us."

"Eh."

Lin Miao shook his head.

"The pharmaceutical business, I'm an outsider. You all just handle these matters yourself."

"It's still better to talk about it a little."

Basil smiled embarrassedly, looking at the person sitting beside Lin Miao, who hadn't said a word—Schmidt, the New America Secretary of Defense and the manager of the Military Technology military action department.

Simultaneously, he had his men place two thick suitcases on the table and open them, revealing at least ten million Orokin in cash, plus a stack of money chips, estimating a few tens of millions in total.

This was cash, not fixed assets.

"Because of the pharmaceutical business, some unpleasant events occurred between us. Taking advantage of Mr. Schmidt's presence here, I hope we can talk properly, because no misunderstanding and conflict can't be communicated."

Schmidt's expression remained unchanged. He actually didn't support Miles's decision because he didn't believe this Horizon Corporation could really pose any threat to the Cubans, but Miles acted on his own will, so he had no choice but to come to Dog Town to sign a military commission agreement with Lin Miao. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

After all, it wouldn't cost him his life, so however it unfolds is fine.

Not so pleasant?

When did bombing the US President become something not so pleasant?

Lin Miao almost wanted to laugh hearing this, but he had to hold it in, showing a polite smile.

"Eh, we're good friends, Mr. Basil, where's the misunderstanding? Mr. Schmidt, isn't that right?"

Seeing the money on the table, Schmidt was enticed, but Lin Miao's words pulled him back. With so many people here now, surely the money couldn't be accepted directly, so he could only symbolically nod twice.

"Yes, indeed, we're good friends, right?"

What the hell, they've declared war, and still say they're good friends?

Basil internally cursed those idiotic people without prior knowledge multiple times, and swore countless times at the fools who didn't check the US President's visit to Night City in advance.

Havana was a collaborative large-scale drug trafficking organization operated by multiple drug lords, no one could entirely control everyone including this time using a missile to target Lin Miao; if only Lin Miao died, it was entirely within the drug lords' control.

But throw a Flying Knife at an apple, how would you know there was a person standing below?

"Some of our people were brainless and impulsive, but fortunately no irreparable damage was caused. As long as we halt the conflict, we can certainly present a compensation satisfying both sides to maintain peace between the two countries."

Lin Miao smiled faux-innocently at Basil and the assassins behind him

"Mr. Basil, listening to your words, why does it seem like it's my fault? What, afraid I might finish you off? And you brought so many people?"

He leaned back, muscles naturally relaxed.

"I didn't. I'm just one person, just a chat, not like it's murder."

After several assassination attempts, Lin Miao realized that Aguirre wasn't a person's name, but the name of a Behavior Chip, and also the codename used by every Cuban drug lord's top assassin when on a mission.

Basil at least brought three top assassins and a group of armed drug dealers to negotiate.

A batch of people from the New America Government also went to Havana for discussions, but Basil specifically came to find Lin Miao.

Yet actually in Basil's heart, he didn't have much regard for Horizon Corporation and New America, a second-rate country ranked thirty to forty worldwide, having lost twice in Latin American wars, why would he overly fear New America along with Horizon Corporation?

Do you think Mexican drug lords care about the threat from the King of Thailand?

Plus they have the European Community backing them, do you really think New America can do anything to me?

"No, they just heard some friends were taken advantage of by Mr. Lin, so they came to check it out."

"Oh~ that reminds me, there were indeed a couple of reckless ones."

Lin Miao laughed heartily.

"If you have anything, Mr. Basil, just let them notify me again. Why be so polite to come yourself? Hahaha..."

Lin Miao laughed while concealing knives; his white teeth full of killing intent.

"Did you really fear I would take you out?"

He abruptly stood up, finger pointed hard at Basil's chest.

"Yet you dare use missiles and assassins to kill me! Oh~ can't take me out now, terrified yourself, were you Cubans always so gutless? What, overdosed? Even lost your nerve!!"

This isn't Lin Miao's character, but in front of outsiders, he must appear tough against Cuba, showing no sign of compromise.

Basil still tried one last effort.

"Tom and I are entirely unaware of Qatar's actions, I just don't want bloodshed between Cuba and New America, much less Mr. Lin spilling blood on the streets."

"Eh? Spilling blood on the streets?"

Lin Miao seemed as if hearing nonsense, gazing at Basil like he's looking at a fool.

He shifted his butt to the left, leaned in front of Schmidt, bearing a sycophantic expression.

"How can you publicly declare wanting me to spill blood in front of such a senior official as the New America Secretary of Defense?"

"You're simply lawless!"