What exactly is the power of words?
Different people have different understandings. Theorists might be able to provide a complete theoretical model, explaining how this ancient power acts within individual hearts.
But as a musical genius, Jiaoni Silverarm, despite only having a high school education, captured the key to it with almost instinctive olfactory sense.
The power of words lies in grasping emotions.
Emotions, or a certain power of the soul, are invisible and intangible, yet they act solidly upon every single person.
It makes everyone unite, or it makes people collapse like an ant colony.
"There must be some force acting behind these media outlets, steering public opinion against Hive. This is an old trick of corporations, but there's no shortage of other clever people who can exploit this."
"Taking originally reasonable demands and radicalizing them, or trying to cover things up, using other events to divert the public's attention—that's how they toy with the residents of Night City as if they were fools."
"But I have to admit, it really works."
"So our strategy is to fight back with the same tactics: use voice against voice, media against media."
Wise men lead the masses; devils fool the masses.
The power is the same, just the purpose is different.
When Johnny attacked Arasaka Tower before, she used the same tactic: a concert at the company's front gate successfully provoked public conflict against Arasaka Corporation, while she fished in troubled waters and snuck into the company.
"But we don't know any TV stations, and no big influencers are backing us. Besides, will the people of Night City believe us? It feels like they really hate Hive."
Berry rested her chin on the table, her big eyes blinking as she listened to Johnny's little trick, but she was still full of doubts, confused, and hadn't grasped the key to it.
Who told her not to be in propaganda? She really didn't understand this.
"Stupid."
"What?"
"Nothing, just pointing out a characteristic of yours."
Now Berry understood.
Uh...
Berry half-squinted her eyes, the grievance on her face almost impossible to hide, and of course, she didn't intend to hide it.
"I'm not stupid. Go ask around—people on the street call me the 'Zhuge of the Streets,' the 'Kongming of Today.' Tell me, where am I stupid?"
"I don't want to answer such a stupid question."
The clear stupidity on Berry's face was simply unbearable to look at. Johnny clicked her tongue and turned her head away.
"Is there really no one in Night City who supports you? Are you kidding? Even if they don't know what Hive is, surely the people in this city are clear about the Tyger Claws' actions."
"The noise on the internet is just an illusion. The Tyger Claws want to smear you—fuck, why does that sound so awkward? Anyway, there are plenty of people in Night City who hate the Tyger Claws, it's just that the propaganda narrative is currently controlled by the Tyger Claws, which is why it seems like everyone is calling for your head."
"As long as there is such a platform, and a few guys with a remnant of conscience establish your own discourse platform online, then you just wait and see."
"Before you ask, I'll answer for you: I'm not a media expert, but I happen to know someone who has the talent."
"Who is this person?"
Berry, having been shut down by Johnny once, quickly asked.
This was the first time she had heard what Johnny was talking about; she had completely entered a new field.
After all, she was a normie who deserved to be killed, not an internet expert; she didn't know the first thing about fighting an online public opinion war.
Since waking up, besides hanging out with Rogue and others, Johnny had done some other things.
Especially learning about the situation of her old bandmates from Samurai.
Although she didn't say it out loud, Johnny still cared quite a bit about the movements of these old friends.
And from what she learned, the members of Samurai were doing quite well, well... most of them.
And Nancy, the control-freak madwoman in the band, happened to work at N54 News, in charge of a small segment? Heard she was doing quite well.
Maybe she could ask her for a favor or something, for the sake of old friendship.
Thinking this, Johnny dialed Nancy's number in front of Berry.
However, after a short while, Johnny frowned.
"I'm looking for Nancy. Who are you?"
"On location? Then where did she go?"
"Totentanz? That madwoman actually dares to go there."
Johnny frowned and hung up the phone.
"How is it? Did you find the propaganda expert you were talking about?"
Berry asked curiously, resting her chin on her hand, which was propped on the table.
"Not exactly. I'm afraid we'll have to make a trip."
Johnny stood up.
"Where to?"
"Totentanz."
"Totentanz? Wait, let me think—shit, that's the territory of those lunatics in Maelstrom!"
Berry remembered what kind of place that was and immediately jumped up.
"Remember to bring your gun. Nancy really knows how to give me trouble. With 365 eyes in Night City, she had to pick the eye of Maelstrom to drill into!"
Johnny's expression was grave; clearly, she also knew that a place run by Maelstrom was not a good place to go.
Without further ado, Berry took her gun, and she and Johnny hurried out of the room and downstairs.
"If you don't want to be intercepted by the Tyger Claws halfway, take the secret passage in the basement. I have a car parked outside the secret passage."
"Damn it, what kind of secret passage is this? Can't you make it less shitty than your life?"
"What the hell do you know? Be glad there's even a path!"
It wasn't until she walked from the basement into the secret passage that Johnny realized what kind of'secret passage' Berry was talking about.
It was an abandoned sewer, with rusty, brownish pipes, a leaking ceiling dripping water, puddles everywhere on the ground, and black, unidentifiable sludge coating everything. Johnny bet she didn't want to know what that sticky stuff was made of.
Fortunately, she was a robot now, otherwise the smell in these pipes would have been enough to make her furious.
Berry followed closely behind Johnny, looking anxious.
Lessons from history told her that most wars that didn't follow the mass line ended badly.
Seeing this opportunity to restore the Hive's reputation and gain the support of Night City's populace right before her eyes, how could she not be anxious?
Finally, at the end, Johnny pushed open a manhole cover, and the two successively crawled out of the small, stinky sewer into a junkyard above ground.
Just when Johnny thought the torture was finally over, veins popped on her forehead as Berry pointed to the vehicle she mentioned.
"This is the car you said was ready!?"
Johnny looked at the green garbage truck in front of her, her face stunned, questioning life itself.
"Hey, don't underestimate it. The exterior is just a disguise. This one's the fastest!"
Berry pulled open the car door, got into the driver's seat, and patted the passenger seat next to her, signaling Johnny to get in quickly.
"Damn it!"
Johnny cursed, suppressing her displeasure as she got into the reeking garbage truck.
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