Chapter 389
2-in-1-chapter
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Most likely, even he himself wasn't aware of the existence of that microprogram.
The reason was simple: unlike the self-destruct protocols typically installed in the cyberbrains of mid-level managers and technical leads within corporations—protocols that are force-installed once someone is promoted—this one was different. In most corporate structures, unless someone intends to remain a low-level employee for life, advancing into middle management inevitably comes with mandatory installation of such protocols, and the individual is informed of it.
Of course, aside from a few who accept it willingly, the vast majority comply begrudgingly. After all, anyone who wants to climb the ladder must be prepared to pay the price.
A person without background or connections who seeks to jump across class boundaries must be prepared for sacrifices that most people would find unimaginable.
No one ascends the hierarchy without giving something up.
Yet the microprogram embedded in Gustavo's neural link was not like those official ones. It had been disguised.
According to Takemura, a typical netrunner would most likely overlook it—or not even recognize what it truly was.
It was a piece of code designed to fry the host's brain, yet it wasn't prominently placed or labeled; it was hidden and disguised as something else entirely.
There could only be one explanation for this: it had been installed without the host's knowledge, possibly even without their consent.
As Leo looked at Gustavo, his gaze took on a trace of pity.
At the same time, he thought to himself—this is what happens when you deal with the Shining Group.
He even suspected that Diego's father, President Anton, might have been implanted with something similar.
But he had no evidence—just suspicion.
Then again, it didn't matter. The man was dead.
Since Takemura couldn't deal with it, they could only wait for Lucy to arrive.
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The next day, Lucy and the rest of Aurora PMC arrived at the site.
Leo no longer needed to worry about things like troop rotation or perimeter defense. Saul and Mitch were more than capable of handling all of that.
As a leader, Leo understood the importance of letting subordinates shoulder responsibility. If he tried to do everything himself, not only would he wear himself out, but he'd also hinder the growth of his team.
It might sound like the logic of a heartless corporate boss, but the difference was that while most bosses offered empty promises, Leo genuinely empowered his people. When Aurora PMC expanded, they would rise with it.
Leo had Lucy examine the contents of Gustavo's neurolink.
She didn't disappoint. After more than two hours of work, she successfully located and disabled the disguised self-destruct program.
As for the embedded countermeasures, they were child's play to her.
With ease, she cracked through the defenses and extracted a substantial amount of data on the Shining Group from within the neural link.
The intel included names and profiles of several key figures and commanders, as well as export routes and communication channels used by the group.
That level of access suggested that Gustavo had held a fairly high rank within the Shining Group.
And it made sense—there was no way a low-level grunt would be posted in the capital as a liaison to the outside world.
Unfortunately, the data didn't include information about the group's total financial assets, nor the exact locations of their coca plantations.
Still, obtaining this much intel was already a significant success.
The next phase would be marked by bloodshed and chaos.
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President Anton's death came as a shock to many.
No one had expected the President to die in such an abrupt and unceremonious way—right in the capital of his own country.
As for Aurora PMC's troops entering La Paz en masse, that didn't cause much of a stir.
After all, over the past year, Aurora PMC's actions in Bolivia had been visible to all.
Especially in the eastern region, which they treated as their own territory—not just as an occupation zone.
If their only goal had been to pave the way for someone else's rise, they wouldn't have bothered investing so heavily.
They could've followed the example of United Fruit: exploit the locals, drain the resources, and funnel everything out with a smile.
But Aurora PMC hadn't done that. Instead, they built roads, constructed schools and hospitals, and even implemented a reasonably functional healthcare system for the local population.
To say they had no interest in seizing control of the nation would be an insult to anyone's intelligence.
In fact, when the elite political class of Bolivia learned that the rebels had been driven out of the capital, many of them returned, hoping to transfer their wealth abroad.
They were intercepted by former soldiers of the government army—now under Aurora PMC's command.
Those soldiers declared that every asset in the capital, down to the last blade of grass, belonged to Aurora PMC and the people of Bolivia. The elite were not permitted to take anything with them.
Naturally, this enraged them.
They protested loudly in public, only to be immediately arrested.
No one beat them. They were simply denied food for a few days—after which, they calmed down significantly.
Once they signed declarations formally renouncing all assets and agreeing to leave Bolivia with nothing, they were released.
Aurora PMC even helpfully arranged plane tickets for them—whether they wanted to go to Europe, the New United States, or even Night City.
And yes, Aurora even paid for the flights.
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After Aurora PMC's security division arrived, took full control of the capital, and expelled the elite class—
Most people assumed the next step would be an all-out war between Aurora PMC and the insurgent factions.
After all, no power that intends to rule a country would allow armed rebels to operate freely within it.
And if Aurora PMC truly intended to take Bolivia for themselves, there was no way they'd tolerate the continued presence of insurgents.
As for what would happen to the Shining Group after the insurgents were eliminated—that was the subject of heated debate.
Most believed Aurora PMC would strike a deal with them.
The reason was simple: the Shining Group could offer a great deal of benefit to Aurora PMC.
Despite its natural resources, Bolivia remained a deeply impoverished country.
Building an economy requires more than ideals and slogans, and no one seriously believed that simply putting Aurora PMC in charge would magically fix Bolivia's systemic poverty.
In the end, it still came down to the Shining Group.
Without them, the economy wouldn't recover, and if the economy couldn't recover, social tensions would eventually erupt into full view. When that happened, the collapse of the nation would only be a matter of time.
Aurora PMC couldn't possibly be blind to this.
However, there were those who believed that Aurora PMC would never cooperate with the Shining Group, arguing that the company's conduct didn't align with the kind of dealings one would expect from a syndicate willing to wallow in the same filth as the Shining Group.
Still, regardless of what others believed, there was one thing they all seemed to agree on: Aurora PMC would not immediately go to war with the Shining Group. Instead, they would focus their full strength on wiping out the insurgents. Only after that problem was resolved would they turn to settle the matter with the Shining Group.
But what followed shattered everyone's expectations.
Aurora PMC did not, as predicted, launch a full-scale campaign against the anti-government forces.
The insurgents had not initiated any attacks on Aurora PMC either, which was understandable—given Aurora's firepower, launching an offensive would have been nothing short of suicidal.
Yet the truly puzzling thing was that Aurora PMC made no move against them.
This unexpected passivity led some to speculate whether Aurora PMC intended to split Bolivia in half, with the insurgents occupying one side and Aurora the other.