Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 651, Section 65: When You're Careless

WNS News Flash.

"Good evening, everyone. This is WNS News. The international situation has recently taken a major turn. According to multiple sources, the first formal meeting between Mr. Nobuyuki Arasaka, CEO of Arasaka Corporation, and Ms. Rosalind Myers, the new US President, will be held in Night City in a week. This meeting is seen by the outside world as a key step in easing tensions between the two giants since the assassination of Mr. Saburo Arasaka."

Arakasake Nobuyuki recently demonstrated his sincerity in communicating with the New America by appointing family member Haruko as an external director of the Night City board. On the other hand, President Miles, despite being embroiled in domestic political turmoil, decided to push forward with the talks. Analysts believe this is related to internal conflicts during her previous administration and military technology, but the specifics remain unknown.

It is worth noting that, in order to show its sincerity, the Arasaka Company took the initiative to withdraw some of the military personnel stationed around Night City during the meeting preparation process. These troops had been continuously reinforced since Saburo Arasaka's assassination.

This move has drawn significant attention from the new United States. According to reliable intelligence, the new U.S. military is assessing whether to correspondingly reduce the troops deployed due to previous conflicts. Meanwhile, doubts about Miles within the military technology sector have not subsided, with some members of Congress with military technology backgrounds even publicly questioning whether President Rosalind Miles 'possibly has the constitutional legitimacy to represent the nation'.

Will this meeting prevent the outbreak of a fifth corporate war? Will Night City become the center of a new round of geopolitical competition? WNS News will continue to provide you with updates.

"drop."

As the mechanical prompt sounded, the news footage in the holographic projection instantly switched to an advertisement for Arasaka Corporation's latest prosthetic body.

In the living room, Jack was sweating profusely as he punched the sandbag, the boxing gloves hitting the stuffing with a dull thud, and beside him, the championship trophy he had won sat in a display case next to the sandbag.

“I remember WNS is a media outlet that Arasaka keeps, right?” Jack pulled off his boxing gloves and wiped the sweat from his face with a towel. “They even know the internal conflicts between the new US government and military technology. They just release this information so openly. Ha, the old tradition of disgusting military technology hasn’t changed at all.”

V, who was adjusting the weapon, answered without looking up:
"Didn't you notice how they addressed him? They were so polite to President Miles, calling him 'Madam,' but when it came to military technology, they were sarcastic and sarcastic. Those military technology senators questioned the president's legitimacy, and hearing them say that, it felt like those military technology senators were opposing the constitutional president just because they came from military technology. But if you think about it, Miles was once the CEO of military technology."

"I think this is a deliberate attempt to provoke conflict."

Oliver, who has a better understanding of this, said: "We all know that the new America is nothing more than a product of military technology. It looks like a corporate machine that governs the country. Rosalind Miles was ousted from her position as CEO to become the new president of the United States. Who can't see that it was actually a form of exile?"
Back then, Rosalind Myers, using her position as the new US president, was already engaged in internal struggles with military technology; now, it's just that the Arasaka incident has brought it into the open.

"The thing we raised is going to bite us, that sounds kind of familiar."

T-BUG, who was also reading the news while leaning on the railing on the second floor, raised an eyebrow.

"Sixth Street Gang and New America, military technology, Tiger Claw Gang and Arasaka."

Oliver said, "There are plenty of dogs, of course, not just dogs, but also plenty of disobedient tigers. When it comes to interests, unless they are particularly loyal dogs, they will bite their masters when they are cornered."

"You're possessive of your food, aren't you?"

Sitting on the sofa, eating cookies delivered by a drone to Maki, Karl took a sip of milk and said, "So what do you guys think? Is Arasaka trying to use the conflict between military technology and the new America to divide his biggest rival, like the split between Sei and Saburo Arasaka?"

"I don't think it will reach that level."

T-BUG scoffed: "Neither Lucas Haveford, the CEO of Military Technology, nor President Myers are fools. They may not understand what 'jointly resisting foreign enemies' means, but they know all too well the difference between 'our own people fighting for food' and 'outsiders fighting for food'."

She paused. "Harford would rather let Miles have half a bite more than let Arasaka take the whole piece. And Miles? She'd rather fight Military Technology to the last man than let Arasaka have a chance to reap the benefits." "Is that so?"

Carl swirled the milk glass in his hand, the ice cubes clinking. He narrowed his eyes, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Logically speaking, if Lucas Haveford and Miles truly considered each other 'one of their own,' then they would indeed do as you said—preferring to divide the spoils among themselves rather than let outsiders profit."

He paused, a smile playing on his lips. "But what if their conflict has long since transcended the realm of 'internal strife,' even reaching a point of life or death? In that case, the situation would be entirely different."

"For example?" Oliver also came over, grabbed a handful of cookies, and asked while giving them to V.

"For example—Sei Nobuyuki and Arakasaka Saburo."

The room fell silent for a brief moment.

Oliver raised an eyebrow and muttered, "That's a significant example. However, Sei Kensuke and Saburo are completely different from Lucas and Miles, after all, Sei Kensuke..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, as if something was choking him.

—Yes, they are different, but can the internal struggles between the two sides be separated from this category?

They'd taken on plenty of dirty work for New America before—tasks ranging from stealing internal documents to preventing internal factions in military technology from starting wars, and even one mission specifically targeting Miles.

Although Miles was "exiled" to become president and seemingly sidelined, her long-established team in military technology had not disintegrated. There were few people within the new America who could challenge her, and those who truly had the qualifications and motive to threaten her life were few and far between.
Perhaps only Lucas Haveford, who succeeded her as CEO, could do it.

If that's the case, then the so-called "internal strife" is probably no longer a matter of distributing benefits, but rather a complete life-or-death struggle.

"Do you think Miles will seek external assistance to eliminate internal enemies, just like Michiko Arasaka sought help from the new America?"

Jack's words made Carl shake his head.

"I don't know, after all, maybe their conflict wasn't that intense, but if it were me..."

Carl looked out the window at the sky: "I am Lucas. I will make my move before this meeting, thwarting Miles's intentions for the talks. This way, we can avoid provoke a conflict with Arasaka while also eliminating a major enemy. And at this time..."

Carl paused for a moment and continued, "I'll look for the moment when Miles is most careless."

What is the moment when a person is most careless?

It often happens when things are about to be accomplished.

(End of this chapter)