Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 777, Section 191: The New Member
"Your Excellency Akechi, you have arrived."

At five in the morning, the sky began to lighten, and the cool morning breeze, carrying the lingering darkness of night, shone through the glass windows of the Arasaka Tower, creating a sliver of light.

Mingzhi walked down the steps with steady steps, his gaze sweeping over the twelve team members lined up neatly in front of him.

At this delicate moment between night and dawn, when the entire Arasaka Tower was just emerging from silence, only their small team had already assembled fully armed.

There were nine familiar faces in the team—they were veteran members who had followed Mingzhi through thick and thin and survived the Dogtown mission.

Their posture appeared relaxed, but they were actually ready to engage in battle at any moment. This was an instinct formed after experiencing life-and-death trials. The three new faces standing on the right side of the formation were new members who had just been transferred this morning.

Wise's gaze lingered on the three of them for a few more seconds.

He clearly remembered the scene yesterday when he reviewed the personnel files—all three of them were originally on the candidate list, but he ultimately chose other candidates who were more suitable for the mission.

But this does not mean they are incapable. On the contrary, if we simply compare their individual combat skills and tactical proficiency, these three might even outperform the four veteran members in the current squad, and they might even be able to win a three-on-four battle.

However, the problem does not lie in their individual abilities, but in other aspects—such as their adaptability to complex terrain, their teamwork, and their obedience.

Ironically, even though Akechi specifically selected seven team members who seemed more disciplined, the final result still turned into a classic Japanese solo act—acting on his own and ignoring instructions, leaving him to clean up the mess himself.

Thinking of this, Mingzhi couldn't help but rub his temples.

Now, he's starting to doubt his own judgment—would things have been better if he had chosen those three people?
When I was in charge, was it because I lacked experience and insight, or was it simply that this team was really difficult to manage?
The Japanese solo run had such a profound impact on Akechi that even now, when he sees the three new team members, a sense of unease still arises in his heart.

The group has finally stabilized, so there shouldn't be any more solo walks, right? But if we add three more people, won't that set a bad example?

His mind was racing, but on the surface, Mingzhi's expression remained unusually calm.

He first nodded to the nine team members he was familiar with, then slowly walked to the three new recruits and calmly looked them over.

The three team members immediately straightened their backs, tucked their chins slightly, and met Mingzhi's gaze with firm determination. They tried their best to present their best selves, afraid of leaving the slightest impression of slackness in front of their superior.

As elites within their faction, they had already heard some of what was happening in Dogtown.

Although they were not in a position to access the most critical secrets, as the guards for today's meeting, they naturally possessed some inside information.

Of all these messages, the one that impressed them the most was the fate of those seven combat comrades—they went off alone and were incompetent, and should have been completely abandoned, but this wise man was willing to take responsibility for them.

People in other positions might think that the wise approach was too weak, but for these combat personnel who have been on the front lines, everyone knows how rare it is that when they mess things up, their superiors not only do not abandon them, but are willing to risk their lives to rescue them.
In this circle, there are only subordinates who are abandoned for failing to perform their duties, and subordinates who sacrifice themselves to protect their superiors. When has a superior ever appeared who would turn around and protect his subordinates?
For combat personnel who know the inside story of Dogtown, working under Lord Akechi is, if not a dream come true, an opportunity that is certainly once in a lifetime.

These three people must have pulled countless strings and gone through countless channels to finally make it onto the list of replacements.

They knew better than anyone that if a bad first impression led this wise gentleman to casually utter "this person is no good," all their efforts would be in vain.

The authority Akechi now wields is sufficient to shut them out without any justification—this is the unique power of a high-ranking official deeply trusted by Arasaka. In other companies, even if a superior wants to suppress a subordinate, they at least need to find a plausible excuse; but in Arasaka, the difference in power is the most straightforward truth, and a casual denial is enough to stifle all of a person's efforts.

Arasaka's hierarchical system is like a sophisticated meat grinder, with the blood and flesh of its lower-level employees serving as its best lubricant.

Ironically, those who were once crushed by this machine often become more enthusiastic than anyone else in upholding the rules once they climb to a high position.

They not only readily enjoyed the pleasure that privilege brought them, but even intensified their abuse of it on those who came after them—as if only in this way could they prove that the suffering they had endured was worthwhile.

The air seemed to freeze.

The three team members stood tense in front of Mingzhi, deliberately controlling even the slightest breath at the slowest pace—as if even a slightly heavier exhale would break this dangerous balance.

The rigid hierarchical system of Arasaka had long ingrained this instinctive awe into their very bones. Now, in front of this superior who held the power of life and death, this sense of oppression almost materialized, weighing heavily on everyone's shoulders.

A wise gaze, sharp as a blade, slowly swept over the three, its scrutinizing eyes seemingly piercing through their uniforms and reaching the depths of their souls. Just as the three were about to be crushed by this silence—

"good."

Two simple words slipped effortlessly from Mingzhi's lips.

In an instant, the three men's tense nerves were relieved as if they had been granted a reprieve. It felt like the ropes had been removed from the gallows, and their blood started flowing again.

But this relaxation lasted only for a brief moment in the heartbeat—the instincts developed from long-term survival in Arasaka immediately sounded the alarm.

They subtly adjusted their posture to make their military bearing more standard; their eyes maintained just the right amount of respect, neither overly obsequious nor aloof.

In Arakasa, a word of affirmation from a superior is never the end, but rather the beginning of a new round of tests.

They knew all too well that any slackening at this moment could turn that "not bad" into the last compliment they would ever receive.

Wise people naturally cannot know their inner thoughts; this assessment is merely a heartfelt endorsement.

After confirming that the three newly transferred subordinates were all capable, it was time to head to the meeting place. The historical background of this meeting stirred a slightly ironic thought within Mingzhi—

After the Fourth Corporate War ended, in order to establish a firm foothold for the North American branch, Michiko Arasaka personally went to the White House to meet with US President Elizabeth Cress.

Today, however, history seems to have reversed: Rosalind Myers of the new America is going to Arasaka Tower to meet with Arasaka Yorinobu.

“It does seem like…” A barely perceptible smile flickered across Mingzhi’s lips, “that of those two countries, each surrendering once in the two world wars, deliberately bringing out that legendary train carriage to sign a treaty.”

The cycle of history always carries a certain absurd symmetrical beauty, except this time, Arasaka has finally gone from being the supplicant to being the one being entertained.

(End of this chapter)