Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 833, Section 43: Gifts of Filial Piety

As the elevator doors slowly opened, a well-prepared squad appeared before Hanako Arasaka, Akechi, and Oda.

Hanako Arasaka did not see any Arasaka markings on this team, but based on the information she had gathered earlier, she knew that these people belonged to her side—they had used the access left behind by Saburo Arasaka to reach this floor via a private elevator.

Realizing this was a team arranged by Wise, she turned her gaze to him.

"Is this the guard squad you prepared?"

"Yes, Miss Hua Zi."

Mingzhi, carrying a briefcase containing miniature nuclear weapons, nodded slightly: "Professionals have been deployed to key positions, and my people have already infiltrated this floor. However, the number of guards we have is indeed not as elite as the 100-man ninja squad."

That team suffered heavy losses in the previous chaos. When I went upstairs just now, I transferred the remaining members to the next floor to assist with the defense. The squad in front of me is a professional support team that I hired separately. They were originally assigned to the lower floor, but considering the situation, I let them take over the defense of the 100-man ninja group—as long as they are paid appropriately, their loyalty can be guaranteed.”

"Loyalty to money? That's enough."

Hanako Arakawa understood the current manpower shortage, but she still gave Akechi a second look at his decision to disperse the remaining 100 ninjas to other areas.

From a purely tactical standpoint, the decision was wise and beyond reproach.

Elite forces like the 100-man ninja squad would be wasted on guard duty unless it was a critical operation like the previous rescue of her. However, considering that he moved the ninjas away from the core area while ensuring that he had sufficient manpower, this move is worth considering.

Wise is clearly emphasizing his own importance in a subtle way.

However, Hanako Arakawa did not object to this kind of method, which was almost obvious.

If the negotiations go smoothly, there's no need for combat personnel like the 100-ninja squad; Saburo Arasaka's century-long accumulated authority is enough to control the situation. However, if the negotiations break down...
After wisely activating nuclear weapons, everything will be annihilated. At that point, there will be no need for combat personnel to intervene. Rather, preserving the ninja 100's legacy in such an endgame would be more in line with strategic rationality.

It is obvious that Mingzhi's arrangements during the upstairs process were not inappropriate.

He adapted very quickly and always kept the situation under perfect control.

Hanako Arakawa has always given ample autonomy to those who act intelligently and know how to conduct themselves appropriately.

"Let's go, the others should have arrived by now."

As she spoke, she walked forward with a composed stride, with Akechi following closely behind. Only Oda Santao paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the team that Akechi had hired, a team that claimed to be loyal as long as the money was right.

As he gazed at these people, Oda felt a strange and subtle sensation welling up inside him.

It was subtle because he sensed a hint of danger in each and every one of them; it was strange because it was unusual for someone of his level, a veteran of countless battles, to be wary of every single person in the entire squad.

If it were just one or two skilled individuals, that would be normal; professional mercenaries are full of hidden talents, and it's not surprising to see a few experts. But for each of them to bring a subtle sense of oppression? That's definitely not ordinary.

'Was it the tension brought on by the nuclear bomb in Akechi's hands that made me instinctively tense up, my senses hypersensitive, to the point that everything seemed like a threat?'

Xiao Tian thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile, feeling like a stressed cat, seeing threats everywhere—this was definitely not the state a professional should be in.

He steadied himself, focused his senses again, and indeed detected that there were also non-threatening figures among the crowd.

One of them was tall, and his movements showed faint signs of training, as if he had undergone some kind of discipline; however, his posture revealed an untamed wildness, like a survivor who had long mingled on the streets and formed his own unique style.

There was a contradictory tension within him. The systematic training of the past still lingered in his muscle memory, clashing with the street savvy he had acquired later, creating a subtle disharmony, as if two completely different fighting styles were clashing within him, yet failing to merge, instead revealing a stiff and fragmented strangeness.

To Oda Santau, this strangeness and incongruity was a flaw that could determine life or death in an instant.

'It seems I was overthinking it. In the end, he's just a self-taught person who works for money.'

A hint of contempt flashed through Oda Santayu's mind, who considered himself to live out of loyalty and honor. But because of this apparent contempt, he put aside his earlier, seemingly reactive feeling and quickly caught up with Arakasa Hanako.

Although Oda Santao's gaze lasted only two seconds, his sharp eyes made every "hired man" present unconsciously tense up.

Only when his figure completely disappeared around the corner did the invisible pressure quietly dissipate, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“That was pretty scary,” a team member holding a sniper rifle and wearing a helmet said in a low voice—it was Oliver. “I almost thought we were going to be exposed.”

“Oda Santayu,” another person beside him interjected, his voice tinged with seriousness. It was Jack. “This guy’s aura is even more dangerous than in the videos.”

V, also disguised as one of the mercenaries, joined the conversation in a low voice: "Remember when we saw the video of him chasing Johnny? At the time, we just thought he was amazing, but now that we're face to face, especially knowing that we're about to fight, we truly feel that sense of pressure."

He turned to David beside him, his tone concerned: "David, are you alright? This is probably the first time you've encountered an opponent of this caliber. Relax, don't be too nervous."

“I’m fine,” David said calmly, but there was a hint of tension in his voice. “I’m not particularly nervous. I met the president when he visited before as a member of the action team. Adam Hammer and Kenichi Saburo were also there. Compared to them, Oda Santao didn’t give off such a strong sense of pressure.”

"Compared to Adam Hammer, that's certainly true."

Beside David, the man whom Oda Santao had once considered "no threat" slowly removed his helmet—it was Arakasaka Seigen. His gaze was calm, but his voice carried a certain resolve:

"However, the point is not him, but..."

"It's that nuclear bomb, right?"

A bionic dog strode out from the simulated ecological jungle on the floor—it was undoubtedly Johnny. He took the bait with a cold smile, his sharp gaze fixed on Sei-nobu:
"It brings back memories that I don't know whether to call good or bad, Sei-nobu, are you ready?"

"I have come to my senses."

Arakasaka Seigen answered calmly, his tone unwavering, yet a flicker of a burning old shadow seemed to flash across his eyes:

"While it's not a repeat of 2023—after all, I failed that time."

He paused slightly, his voice suddenly becoming as calm as iron:

"But today, I will personally deliver the final blow to Saburo Arasaka."

“If it weren’t for your relationship with Saburo Arasaka, I would have said it was a gift to show my respect.”

Oliver's words elicited a smile from Arakasaka Seiichi.

"That makes sense. He should accept the gift properly as a sign of filial piety."

(End of this chapter)