In some ways, the improved version could act as a better substitute for the cheaper version, but the problem was that not everyone could afford it, and it was not made available to just about anyone.
Those were only made available to those with deeper pockets who could afford to pay for them over a longer period of time, so that those customers could be drained of their money more effectively.
Those people usually had some form of wealth, influence or power, while others had people they had relationships with that were like that.
They could be targeted for their money, but things could not be taken too far in the way that things had been done to target people who were in far more vulnerable positions, where there would be nobody there to help them.
A way to target such people was to get them hooked on the cheaper stuff in the beginning, just like how others would become introduced to it and would become addicted, but when they came back for more, they would be given the option of purchasing the better quality version.
Springer looked toward the group of thugs with disgust in his eyes that had been hidden behind his mask. "Spore... how disgusting. To think that something like that has already become this big of a problem."
Gasser nodded in response. "To think that something this bad has been made. Other influences would surely want it for themselves or would want a piece of it. I wonder how things have been kept so quiet all this time."
Tiffany spoke from her puppet, which she was in control of. "Controlling others using fear and addiction. Probably using any means necessary to keep things from spreading far. With their level of influence, it would be easy to make people disappear should they become a risk."
Her gaze shifted to the door as awareness dawned on her. "Not good. I doubt that the victim can be trusted in this situation."
People suffering from addiction and who were ruled with fear were not people who could be fully trusted.
They would not always make decisions that were in their own best interests or had the interests of others as their main concern or priority.
A person could be grateful one moment, but they could have anything influence them a moment later to let gratitude turn to something much darker.
Anyone could feel grateful for being saved in the moment they were being saved by another, as it could prevent things from happening to them.
The problem was that the problem could be prevented or solved at that moment, but it would not solve the root cause of it all.
There would still be the problem related to being targeted again, just as there was a larger chance that the next time being targeted would be out of retaliation for what had already taken place.
The four of them might have only made things a whole lot worse by intervening.
Once the victim realised that, it could be quite unpredictable what kind of action they would take.
They had already been left on their own in the house while the interrogation had taken place, so they had been alone with their thoughts for quite some time.
Not only that, but they had been left unsupervised during that time, so they could have had enough time to do anything that could result in a bad outcome for everyone involved with the present situation.
What made it all the worse was that addiction was involved.
The person addicted to something would likely suffer from withdrawal symptoms unless they had supplies close by that they could rely on.
If they needed more of it, then they only had one place to go for it.
If that were the case, then they would have even more limited options available as they would have to return to their supplier.
They could not risk upsetting their supplier and losing out on what they craved so much.
It was just as possible that they would try their best to get back on the good side of their supplier and to do something that would grant them what they needed in return for selling out the very people who had saved them just moments ago.
The moment that everyone realised how serious the situation had been, they rushed out of the room.
They soon came to find the victim of it all standing on the spot.
They were holding a mobile phone in their hand.
What was not too visible right away was how shaky their hands were as they gripped the mobile phone.
Springer gritted his teeth as he stepped forward before shouting. "What did you do?!"
The four of them were standing around them as if closing in on them to prevent them from moving or doing anything further.
It was not long before the mobile phone was snatched away from their hands.
The most recent text messages were read in that moment, resulting in the four of them not responding too well.
The text message was only sent less than ten minutes ago, but it was still bad considering the current situation.
The four of them were within the territory of the enemy, who was already aware of them being there.
It was only a matter of time before someone was able to get to them or be able to close off the area, making it all the more difficult to escape from there.