Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 698, Section 112: Not Disappointing
“Mikazuchi, I look forward to your performance.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Oda Santao stepped into the elevator without looking back. The metal doors closed silently, shutting out Akechi's figure.

The prosthetic examination only took half an hour, nearly half the originally planned hour—which pleased him greatly, as it meant he could return to Miss Hua Zi's side sooner. However, the report's conclusions caused him to frown slightly.

"everything is normal."

Apart from a few minor functional sluggishnesses caused by long-term neglect, his prosthetic body was in excellent condition.

However, this is completely contrary to his recent physical sensations—his reaction speed has indeed slowed down, and his movements are no longer as precise as before.

Since the problem is not with the prosthetic body, there is only one answer: the problem lies with the prosthetic body itself.

Memories of the Hokkaido training camp flashed through my mind like a razor blade.

Have those rigorous emotional training sessions, those forcibly stripped-away superfluous emotions, been worn away by time?
Or perhaps he never truly forgot those training sessions? Maybe those emotions that were forcibly stripped away never disappeared, but lay dormant deep in his consciousness, now intertwined with the loyalty rooted in his bones, forming twisted vines that quietly spread without anyone noticing.

If that's the case—can this already distorted emotion really be disassembled and replaced at will like a mechanical part?
His expressionless face was reflected in the elevator's metal walls.

Oda Santa's knuckles trembled slightly, and a faint electrical buzzing emanated from beneath the bionic skin.

If this corrupted emotion were forcibly removed, would it also tear apart the loyalty that had seeped into his very being? He suddenly realized that he was actually afraid of such a possibility.

However, all these feelings must absolutely not be shown in front of Miss Hua Zi.

Miss Hanako doesn't need to know these things. Oda Santao only needs to straighten his back as usual and report in the most stable voice that "the prosthetic body is in excellent condition" and that he can still protect Miss Hanako.

Even if one knows in one's heart that there are some hidden elements in the reports due to one's own selfish motives.

Oda Santaro knew this was unacceptable, because if he had a clear understanding that he was no longer at his peak, then his most reasonable course of action would have been to report to Hanako while hoping for a 'newcomer' to replace him and perfectly fulfill his duty of protecting Hanako.

But every time he thought of another newcomer, male or female, when that blurry figure of the 'newcomer' appeared, a twitching sensation far exceeding the pain threshold of the prosthetic body would explode in Oda Santao's chest, making it hard for him to accept.

He clearly understood that he did not want to see that scene, nor did he want to accept that outcome.

With this increasingly distorted mindset, Oda Santayu convinced himself.

Perhaps the so-called decline in physical abilities is just an illusion caused by increased nerve sensitivity?

Perhaps it was this twisted emotion that allowed him to shield Miss Hua from the bullet a fraction of a second earlier than the other guards, who were stopped at the level of procedural protection? In the elevator mirror, he saw a perfectly restrained smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He was still Oda Sandayu, still Miss Hanako's personal bodyguard, and still Miss Hanako's most loyal confidant.

Miss Hua Zi's bodyguard can only be, and will only be, him!

As the elevator carrying Oda Santao slowly ascended, standing in front of the elevator doors watching it rise, with the surrounding people watching him nervously, Akechi, with his back to them and the entire floor's surveillance cameras under his control, smiled even more broadly.

Akechi had originally planned to use this opportunity to give Oda Santayu another push, but he realized he didn't need to. Oda Santayu had already convinced himself, or rather, for this guard whose emotions had been suppressed for so long, he simply didn't know how to truly face, or rather, how to suppress his feelings.

The education I received before was merely superficial or even useless. When that thought truly arises in my heart, the emotion is overwhelming and difficult to suppress.

Akechi only knocked a small hole in this fortress, and this seemingly impregnable fortress collapsed on its own. Now, Oda Santayu can no longer go back to being the person who was only loyal to Arasaka Hanako and had no selfish desires whatsoever.

Or rather, it is absurd to think that someone can completely erase their emotions. Even in this day and age, emotions are still unavoidable and exist in people's hearts.

Even Adam Hammer, that madman, at least understands the pleasure and self-satisfaction of killing. Cyber ​​psychopaths understand that going insane is a form of catharsis. In an era that increasingly represses emotions, the more something is suppressed, the more intense it becomes when it bursts out from an opening.

The fortress has been breached.

For Akechi and Karl, what they did to Oda Santao was merely a side move, but he would not deny that his actions did indeed have an impact on the world.

If the guards around Hanako Arasaka are no longer able to perform their duties, or rather, they are no longer able to perform their duties in the face of Karl and Akechi, what will be the result?
This means that Hanako Arasaka's life is nothing more than something that Karl can take away at will.

Of course, while it's possible to remove it, the consequences of doing so need careful consideration. However, right now...
Looking at the reward he received for perfectly protecting the prosthetic body during its maintenance and for saving him time, and the duties bestowed upon him by Oda Santayu, Akechi smiled.

This time, he turned around, faced the other terrified people, and gave them a smile.

Everyone present except him felt a deep fear emanating from his smile.

No one could explain why they felt a deep-seated fear when they saw Mingzhi's seemingly peaceful smile.

Why does that smile seem so familiar?

Before such an idea even surfaced, they had already made amends for themselves.

Because wisdom today far surpasses that of theirs.

Goro Akechi, an elite from the Tokyo headquarters, was officially assigned to be in charge of the perimeter security for Santao Oda and Hanako Arasaka.

The group's senior management granted him a special level of authority, enabling him to fully monitor and coordinate the operation of the entire security system.

As granted by Oda Santaro, Akechi Goro possessed management authority beyond that of the local security team, allowing him to directly intervene in and command all security affairs when necessary.

In other words...
Apart from the most crucial personal guard duties, which could only be performed by Oda Santayu, Goro Akechi could practically control all other guard duties.

This was precisely the response that Oda Santayu had made to the weakened security during that festival. He recognized Akechi's abilities and entrusted the power he had at Night City to this outstanding and loyal elite.

And Carl will certainly not disappoint him.

'David, you've accepted the transfer, right?'

(End of this chapter)