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Arthur frowned. Something felt off as he approached Michael. There was a peculiar smell about himāone Arthur had come to associate with cyberpsychosis patients.
According to common principles, wealthy people rarely fell victim to cyberpsychosis. Their high-end, custom prosthetics were designed to integrate seamlessly with their bodies, minimizing the risk of psychological breakdown. Moreover, they were born into privilege, raised in environments devoid of the crushing obsessions and struggles that often drove the less fortunate into madness.
On top of this, the elite received the best education money could buy, training their minds to navigate life's challenges without spiraling into chaos. For these reasons, Arthur had never heard of a rich man succumbing to cyberpsychosis.
But in Night City, the impossible had a way of becoming reality. Arthur waved a hand to signal Jack to remain alert while he cautiously approached Michael, guns at the ready.
As he drew closer, Arthur noticed Michael was completely immersed in his own world, oblivious to the intruders. His hands moved mechanically, fiddling with various vials and gadgets, his muttering punctuating the eerie quiet of the basement.
Arthur recognized this as a hallmark of early-stage cyberpsychosisācomplete detachment from reality. If Michael hadn't been a wealthy man, Arthur might have already called Regina to sell him off to the highest bidder.
"Hey, brother, what are you working on here?" Arthur asked, keeping his tone casual. Threatening a madman was pointless. If they weren't even afraid of death, there was no leverage to be had.
There was no sign of family anywhere in Michael's villa. Arthur thought wryly that if Michael had a wife, he wouldn't have minded playing the villain, perhaps even staging a direct confrontation to get the man to cooperate. Not that it mattered muchāif Michael's wife wasn't attractive, he could always hand her over to Jack. But Arthur doubted Jack would appreciate this line of thinking; he'd sacrificed enough for this mission already.
Michael didn't even turn around. His hands continued moving as he replied, "I'm working on the greatest invention in the world. Once it's complete, I can start over. Everything will be different."
Arthur's curiosity piqued. The greatest invention in the world? To change the world? Leave a legacy? Arthur didn't care about grand ideas like that. What mattered was whether it could be monetized. If this so-called invention had potential, it could be their ticket to financial freedom.
Even Jack seemed intrigued, his gaze shifting to Michael's workstation.
Arthur decided to play along. "Wow, I didn't expect you to be an inventor! You must be the smartest man alive to create something so revolutionary. Can you tell me more about it?"
Michael seemed to preen under the praise, his hazy state giving way to a spark of excitement. "Do you know," he began, "since the end of the Fourth Corporate War, nearly all animal species on Earth have gone extinct?"
Arthur nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"But," Michael went on, his voice rising with fervor, "there's one creature that survived. Its vitality is unparalleled, its numbers endless. This creature isā¦ the cockroach! Or, as some in the East call it, strong one."
Arthur's interest grew. Not because he cared about cockroaches, but because he could see where Michael might be headed. Studying the adaptability and resilience of cockroaches could lead to breakthroughs in biotechnology. Even if it boiled down to exploiting their reproductive capabilities, the results could be lucrative.
Arthur holstered his gun, his excitement growing. This might just be the golden goose they were looking for.
"So, are you studying their resilience? Their defense mechanisms? Or maybe their adaptability? Even their fertility could be groundbreaking research!"
Michael finally turned to Arthur, his expression one of pure disdain. "Hmph! You shallow fool! It's people like you who keep biotechnology from advancing. My research will change the world and revolutionize the field!"
Arthur wasn't offended by the insult. On the contrary, he felt even more excited. If it wasn't medical advancements, could it be biological armor? Or some kind of genetic modification that could grant human abilities akin to those of cockroaches?
He pressed further. "Forgive my ignorance, Master Michael. Please, enlighten me. What exactly are you working on?"
Michael set down the vial he was holding, stretched his arms toward the ceiling, and declared with fervor, "This is genetic engineering!"
Arthur's heart raced. His suspicions were confirmedāMichael was a genius, albeit an unhinged one. Could this be the kind of project that created superhumans or groundbreaking technology?
Michael's next words, however, shattered Arthur's anticipation.
"I'm planning to genetically modify cockroaches so they'll grow as large as a human palm. That way, they'll be easier to spot and kill!"
Arthur froze. The room fell silent. Even Jack, who had been eavesdropping, stared at Michael in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape.
Arthur lowered his head, rubbing his temples. For a moment, no one said a word.
Michael, however, seemed entirely unbothered by their reactions. "Don't you see? This is the future! A cleaner world without those disgusting pests crawling around!"
Arthur exhaled slowly, glancing at Jack, who looked equally stunned.
"Let me get this straight," Arthur began, his tone measured. "You're spending all your time and resources onā¦ making cockroaches bigger? So you can kill them more easily?"
Michael nodded proudly, missing the sarcasm entirely.
Arthur resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. This man was no visionaryāhe was a lunatic. All of the excitement he'd felt moments earlier evaporated.
Jack finally spoke, his voice tinged with frustration. "Arthur, are we seriously wasting our time with this guy?"
Arthur sighed. "Let's not be hasty. Maybe he has other projects. Somethingā¦ more practical."
Turning back to Michael, Arthur forced a smile. "That'sā¦ fascinating. Truly groundbreaking. But do you have any other research? Something we could, you know, use right now?"
Michael frowned, looking genuinely offended. "You don't understand the brilliance of my work!"
Arthur gave Jack a knowing look, and the two silently agreedāMichael was a lost cause. Whatever potential his research might have had was buried under layers of madness.
"Well, Master Michael," Arthur said, stepping back, "we won't take up any more of your time. Best of luck with yourā¦ cockroach project."
Michael turned back to his workstation, muttering under his breath.
Arthur and Jack left the basement, their earlier excitement replaced with exasperation.
"So," Jack said as they exited the manor, "what now?"
Arthur glanced at the vials Jack had grabbed earlier, still glowing faintly in his bag.
"Now," Arthur said grimly, "we figure out if there's anything salvageable in all this mess."
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