79. Everything Is Normal

After the senior researchers swore their allegiance, the others followed suit with remarkable speed.

To be honest, every one of them possessed exceptional skills. Hansen had recruited them precisely because of their real talent. Having a specialized skill meant they could find their footing anywhere—in other words, they had never lacked a way out.

Perhaps they did have some loyalty to Hansen, but when it came to life, death, and their futures...

It was not that Colonel Hansen had been inadequate. It was simply that, by comparison, they felt standing with Mr. KK offered far broader prospects.

Unlike the researchers, not a single elite member of the Chimera was willing to compromise with Carl.

They truly deserved Hansen's trust, and Carl had no intention of killing those who would rather die than submit.

If they had been eliminated amidst the earlier chaos, so be it. But since he had already spared their lives, killing them now would only be unnecessary.

Since they were loyal to Hansen, he might as well wait until Hansen fell. If they still refused to submit by then, it would not be too late to deal with them alongside Dogtown's remaining loyalists.

Loyalty to one's former master was not a crime, but their stubbornness could not help reminding Carl of the Ninja Hundred that he had dealt with not long ago—since they were willing to wallow in the past, they could leave the stage together with the old era.

Of course, if they changed their minds by then, Carl would not mind recruiting them again. Perhaps positions in Dogtown's new security force would put them to good use.

The Night City Police Department was already severely understaffed. Although it was expanding recruitment and had retaken control of the Psycho Squad, the shortage could not be resolved