Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 103 The Company Dog and the Cuban (Part 2) (110,000 words)

Arakasaka Tower.

This skyscraper standing in Night City is a twin-tower structure, a feature found only in a few important branches around the world—meaning that this building is actually a relatively autonomous, high-level branch.

As long as you can create value, you can replace your superiors—and Arasaka employees jokingly refer to the path to promotion as "climbing a tower." Generally speaking, the floor your office is on determines your status.

Arasaka employees all know that in certain situations, getting rid of your boss or overstepping your authority to provide better solutions to your boss's superiors is generally tolerated (provided you are truly capable or can perfectly replace your boss).

The ingrained culture of "subordinates overthrowing superiors" makes promotions within Arasaka exceptionally fierce, even...bloody. Saburo Arasaka knows that human nature is insatiable, and behind this insatiability lies the relentless desire to advance, compelling these exceptional and ruthless individuals to ultimately sit on the highest floors of this building scattered throughout the world. Finally, he will control these victors—thus ensuring the eternal reign of his Arasaka Empire!

In this world, very few people controlled by companies are clear-headed; aside from climbing up, no one wants to fall back to the dirty bottom.

V, born into a corporate family, was raised by her parents and subjected to strict family rules. She only envied Jack Wells' freedom, but deep down she dreamed of entering the [Arasaka Tower - Central Courtyard]... And with this incident involving Rin, she finally got her wish, even if it was only temporary.

V's heels clattered on the wet floor—thanks to the internal ecosystem, the Arasaka board meetings of Night City are usually held deep within an indoor forest that resembles a courtyard. Apart from holding shares, only those in V's department who rise to the position of Special Operations Director are able to obtain their own board chair.

This is not an inanimate object; it is a byproduct of power.

"Miss V has arrived."

Aragaka's elite agents led V across the uneven cobblestone path, finally bowing before the Aragaka board meeting table.

Different faces sat on either side of the table: some arrogant, some gloomy, some warm...

The main seat was empty; it was the chair belonging to the Arasaka family.

On the left side, a woman with short black hair, the ends of which had a striking light-colored gradient, smiled at V. Her Arasaka suit even had a school uniform feel to it. With her long-term and proper maintenance—plus her American ancestry—she looked like a carefully cultivated young lady from an aristocratic family.

What's wonderful is that the outfit doesn't clash with Arasaka at all; on the contrary, it gives the woman a bright and cheerful aura, making her the only bright spot in the gloomy central courtyard boardroom.

It seems that the woman's fashion designer is very skilled, knowing how to combine fashion trends with the company's strict regulations. After all, Arasaka has always required employees to wear formal attire.

"Ms. Michiko."

V greets politely.

"Have a seat." [Arasaka Michiko] pointed to the seat next to her. Her unmodified hand had delicate light orange cat nail art, which perfectly matched the corporate image of the mysterious company she worked for.

But everyone in Arasaka Tower knows that this seemingly simple woman is someone who, after her father [Arasaka Kei] fell, managed to reclaim what belonged to her from New America on her own, and also won over her father's subordinates to build her own power. This series of actions also led Arasaka Saburo, who was far away in his private residence in Tokyo, to acknowledge this granddaughter of "American blood".

V pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Michiko.

One board member said, "Since Susan and Arthur are both unavailable, we can only participate by phone. We can begin."

As they spoke, the faces of Abernathy and Jenkins appeared on the holographic screen behind the conference table. Their expressions were somber, and were it not for the matching background, it would be hard to believe that these two were currently in the same room.

It seems things didn't go very smoothly in Osaka?

V thought so.

Michiko raised her white prosthetic arm. "Everyone is here. Here is the operation data. Please review it yourselves. V, tell me the current situation."

V immediately went into battle mode. She had to find a way to discuss everything openly and honestly with the higher-ups, but without harming Jenkins' interests. "V, an employee of the Arasaka Counterintelligence Department, will be giving a briefing to the board members today regarding the operation of military technology facilities."

It's good that I'm not stage-frightened.

Michiko leaned back in her chair and listened quietly to V speak.

"Counterintelligence agent Rin was pursued by military technology cybersecurity units and a small ground force while handling this incident. The subnet connection has been lost, but according to informant intelligence and our speculation, Rin may still be alive—"

V frowned slightly as someone interrupted her.

"Wait!" Barreto was one of the earliest board members after the reconstruction of the Night City branch. In the eyes of all the directors, this guy was notoriously stubborn and conservative. Whenever there was any friction with military technology, he would always try to stop it and reject the lower-level actions on the grounds that Arasaka needed stability for development in Night City.

"The subnet was disconnected, how could the person be alright? Those military tech guys don't understand networks, do you think the security department could disconnect our agents? Based on your speculation..." Barreto sneered, "You're using your speculation to conclude that this agent is still alive, isn't that incredibly unprofessional?"

Michiko tapped her finger on the table. As the leader of the dove faction among the three major factions of Arasaka, she was somewhat similar to Barreto in some ways, but her good aristocratic education made her rarely interrupt others. "Let V finish speaking first."

But V, as an employee, was clearly unaware of these factions.

V nodded. "Rin is most likely currently secretly lurking in Dogtown... I think we need to stop their operations and find Rin's whereabouts before their military technology enters Dogtown—at the same time, 10% of the classified information about that military technology facility hasn't been transmitted yet, and it might be in Rin's hands. But... according to him, the information wasn't completely downloaded."

Barreto yawned. "We've already suffered a loss in military technology, Dogtown has admitted defeat, we've won this battle... and in this operation, they've returned many of our detained spies, facilities, funds—including some markets. We claimed the exchanged intelligence was complete, and now this has come up..."

"Then get rid of this guy! What the hell is this 10%? The military science team has to take responsibility even if he dies!"

V's face was expressionless, and his hands, resting on his thighs, were clenched tightly.

Jenkins then spoke up, "Ms. Michiko, should we report this to headquarters?"

At this moment, a Japanese-American board member spoke up, "Jenkins! You fucking remember who you are! Trying to overstep your authority? Who do you think you are?"

Jenkins' face turned extremely grim.

A faint smile played on Abernathy's lips. "I think Mr. Mikami is right. The counterintelligence department has been suppressing this person's background, so he is an unknown individual. Therefore, for the sake of this final victory, it is low-risk and reasonable for us to abandon this person. It is enough for us to suppress military technology for a short period of time, which will be very helpful for our subsequent business plans."

That bitch!
V took a deep breath and gave Abernathy a hostile glance. She had to speak up for her boss. "If someone risks their life to hand over military secrets to Arasaka, and we sell them out... who would dare work for Arasaka?!"

The scene fell silent for a moment.

At this moment, the woman on the board of directors sitting next to V crossed her arms and her eyes turned hostile. "V, watch your words."

"That's fucking insane," came a whisper.

V, however, only looked at Michiko Arasaka, "Aren't you right, Miss Michiko?"

V was disappointed. In her eyes, the sacred top floor should have been a gathering place for elites, a think tank that made the most brilliant decisions—but what she saw in reality was a group of pedantic parasites crawling on the top floor of the Aragaka Tower, sucking blood. These filthy and despicable maggots didn't care how many corpses were below; they only cared about whether they had eaten enough and whether they had amassed enough wealth.

Michiko raised her silver prosthetic arm. "Quiet."

All sound stopped.

Her dark eyes revealed no emotion. "V, continue with your thoughts."

V's advice was brief: "We can't just bluff and threaten military science in the news—we should try to get people out of trouble, protect and block military technology, and negotiate with the colonel in Dogtown."

The scene quieted down once again.

*Smack!* The table was slammed!
The director pointed at V's nose and yelled, "The company shouldn't be responsible for the problems with your people. Dogtown has made concessions, and the military has also made concessions. At this critical juncture, sending armed forces into Dogtown, can you take responsibility? Get back to where you belong."

However, the radical board members couldn't sit still. "Although this employee was a bit presumptuous, those bastards from the Military Science Institute can ruin their plans, and we'll benefit even more!"

Barreto said in a deep voice, "This could be a provocative act of starting a war, and it involves Dogtown—I hope you understand, Mr. Xu."

This Mr. Xu was clearly not someone to be trifled with. He suddenly stood up, pointed his finger at me, and began to curse: "Lord Sanlang is right! You're a fucking coward! Barreto, I won't say anything else, but every time there's something involving military technology, you hide your head in the ditch of that bunch of bastards you keep in your mansion on the hill of Charter. Has military technology given you any benefits?! Answer me!"

Michiko cleared her throat and gave V an apologetic smile.

V observed silently; the people around the conference table seemed to have split into three factions.

One faction, like Michiko, remained calm and composed; another was so radical that they would stand up to support the military science department whenever it was attacked; and the last faction argued logically, attempting to avoid friction with the military science department.

V looked at the boss, and both of them saw the helplessness in each other's eyes.

Jenkins had intended to request access from the security department himself, but an emergency board meeting completely disrupted that plan.

V's idea was simply to rescue Rin, and he should take responsibility for his misjudgment of intelligence. Jenkins' idea was that Rin could infiltrate Dogtown and improve his work, but this military science gift was an unexpected bonus and his hope for further advancement. At present, Rin's life or death was not of much significance to him.

Everyone has their own agenda; this is the company's battleground.

"Jenkins, you deserve a lot for this operation. You will get what you deserve when you return to Night City." Michiko clapped her hands, which was considered a final decision for the board of directors.

Jenkins' expression finally improved. Abernathy never showed much emotion on her face, but she secretly hoped that Jenkins' subordinate named Rin had given her false information. Everything in Osaka was going smoothly, but Rin, who appeared at this critical juncture, gave Jenkins the credit, and the position of Operations Director was very likely to change.

“V, Arasaka needs time to develop. Our Guardian Souls series business is currently in a critical period—regarding the military science matter…the counterintelligence department has the authority to undertake special operations on its own, but it bears the risks. Dogtown is off-limits—”

"Because we also have some business there."

Damn it...

V couldn't sit still any longer, but the next second she received a subtle hint from Jenkins, which made her swallow back what she wanted to say.

V didn't know why he was so agitated. The Arasaka counterintelligence department had lost many pawns, but they couldn't be lost in such a humiliating way by their own people. Absolutely not!
“Arasaka’s employees must always obey their superiors’ orders, V, do you remember?” Michiko smiled slightly and closed the action report in front of her.

At this point, the outcome was already decided.

Everyone won; Jenkins got a stepping stone, V benefited from the operation, and no one was dissatisfied...

V's face was grim; she knew that only Rin had lost.

ended?
She and Jenkins exchanged glances, and both saw the other's helplessness.

Companies will always present you with choices that gradually wear down your conscience.

V stood up silently, unwilling to accept it—in those few short seconds, she had already made the decision to enter Dogtown alone!
If no one else is willing, then she'll be the one who is!
……

Just then, the holographic screen made a clicking sound, and the conference room lit up again.

"It's too early to adjourn the meeting now!" a strange, powerful voice rang out.

Everyone looked up at the holographic screen, where a man wearing brown-tinted glasses and bearing a resemblance to Saburo appeared.

Everyone was stunned.

V paused for a moment, but his prosthetic eye quickly scanned the person's name...

Arakasaka Yorinobu?!
Is this the legendary crown prince of the Arasaka Business Empire?!

"uncle?"

Michiko was clearly taken aback and quickly stood up to give a slight bow to the screen.

All the directors stood up, but Arasaka Yorinobu pursed his lips and did not respond.

"Arasaka... will be destroyed by you bunch of scoundrels sooner or later." Arasaka Yoriyuki's words were very impolite.

Michiko shook her head. "Uncle, you have to understand that the entire Arasaka is at a critical juncture right now. The military and Dogtown are doing business very frequently, and we have already gained something from this operation, which is enough... Besides, it is indeed not appropriate to adopt an aggressive strategy at this critical moment."

Arakasaka Yorinobu completely ignored Michiko, "Your name is...V?"

V nodded.

Arasaka Yorinobu surveyed the crowd. "You want to be cowards... but don't forget, we had a deal with Dogtown ruined by the Military Science Institute. Is not fighting back your way of dealing with pressure? This list isn't enough to get these things back! You cowards—"

"Is any of you working for the Military Science Department?!"

Such a big hat... no one present dared to say a word.

Arasaka Yorinobu seems to be very irritable.

Everyone present could only grit their teeth and listen to Arasaka Yorinobu's curses.

"Night City's counterintelligence department set a good example, helping us clear out the trouble and giving us more opportunities to do business with Dogtown... At this critical juncture, you're hiding on the top floor of Arasaka Tower, discussing how to deal with our heroes? Foolish!"

Michiko mustered her courage and said, "Uncle, once the armed forces intervene in Dogtown, it won't just be the Military Science Institute that will be in trouble. Besides, the board of directors has to vote, and your decision alone doesn't count."

“No need for a vote—we’ll retaliate in kind to how the Military Science Bureau sabotages our business.” Arasaka Yoriyuki was equally ruthless towards his elder brother’s daughter. “I will send my own people from headquarters to participate in this operation, which will be led by V from the counterintelligence department.”

Lai Xuan glanced at V seemingly casually, then hung up the phone, leaving everyone stunned.

What's the situation?
V himself didn't understand. First it was Prince Arasaka, then reinforcements from Tokyo... Could it be Jenkins?

Jenkins' eyes weren't much better; he was also in a daze.

In the end, it was Michiko who was the first to react. She looked around, showing no resentment at being suppressed, and said without any emotion, "V, then let's listen to Uncle Rai-sen."

A shareholder from the same faction next to her sneered, "This Lord Lai Xuan usually likes to take action against the Military Science Bureau. Mr. Xu, this suits you just the way you want."

Barreto sneered, "I was wondering why Mr. Xu was so agitated today. It turns out Mr. Lai Xuan is backing you up. The Night City Board of Directors is not for you warmongers to command!"

Mr. Xu smiled slightly, completely different from the excited man just now. "Why didn't Mr. Lai Xuan mention these insights when he was on the phone earlier? Now you're all talk, huh? Then call Mr. Lai Xuan and say it, okay?"

Michiko took a deep breath. It wasn't surprising that the Night City's affairs had been leaked to Japan. After all, each branch had the Arasaka family's internal intelligence network, so it wasn't unusual. Michiko smiled slightly at V and quickly left the courtyard.

V had just straightened his clothes and stepped out of the courtyard when Jenkins called.

"Once you find Rin, make sure she's safe. You need to personally verify the data."

V nodded, "It's alright, you worry about things in Osaka, I'll take care of this."

Jenkins rubbed his face. "Ugh, damn Abernathy, she tricked me again. Counterintelligence is never open and transparent. This bitch is escalating the conflict."

None of these things matter to V. What matters is that someone can help her solve her problems. V doesn't like owing people anything—especially her life.

"I'll wait for Lai Xuan's call at the company. See you later."

As V stepped out of the passage, she pressed the elevator button. A hand blocked her way, and Agent Arasaka said, "Ms. V, I have a private phone call to handle. Please come with me."

Private phone call?

V subtly took a step back, but the agents were positioned on either side of him, and given that his cybernetic weapons were disabled in Midgard, he had no choice but to follow obediently.

V prepares to retaliate immediately if things start to go wrong.

In a conference room of moderate size, sat a familiar face: Mr. Xu.

“Mr. Xu?!” V frowned, clearly having already determined that the other party was up to no good.

Mr. Xu shrugged and yawned. "Mr. Lai Xuan is looking for you."

Uh?
V was forced to sit in a chair by the agents, and then an encrypted chip was inserted into his brain interface.

Arasaka Yorinobu's call box appeared above...

If it weren't for Rin and this misjudgment, V probably would never have crossed paths with Yoriyuki in his life, unless... he sits in a board seat.

"Was it you who did the Tiger Claw Gang incident?" Arasaka Yoriyuki asked calmly, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor when he berated everyone at the meeting.

V: "Yes."

Lai Xuan nodded: "Well done, you've helped me regain some face with Father. The guy sitting across from you, Barreto, is one of my men. I wanted to do business with Dogtown before, but Military Technology intercepted it, causing me losses—that coward Barreto, in order to resolve the trouble, targeted your men."

Was the guy who rudely interrupted him at the board meeting one of Lai Xuan's men?
how come?
V suddenly felt a cold sweat break out on his back. So that meant that the mess in Dogtown was... done by Arasaka Yorinobu?!

Why did he do that?
V was very puzzled. She felt that this thankless act of trying to please both sides would only make Dogtown more distant from Arasaka.

But Lai Hsuan clearly had his own explanation: "We wanted to use this shipment to smear military technology, but I underestimated the relationship between military technology and Dogtown..."

At this point, V has no choice but to believe that if the emperor's son is explaining things to you, then you'd better accept that this is the truth.

However, judging by the professional standards of a counterintelligence agent, such mudslinging is far too crude, almost childish, and more likely an attempt by Arasaka to offend two enemies simultaneously—which makes sense. In V's view, would the potential heir to the prestigious Arasaka Empire be foolish enough to use his own company as a target, inviting other companies to attack him?
Obviously unreasonable.

V can only conclude that this is a rich second-generation heir with very poor skills at setting up schemes.

V then said, "This matter has been resolved, Mr. Lai Xuan."

“I know. Let’s talk about today: you were right in the meeting, Rin is a loyal employee of Arasaka, and we can’t give up on her.”

Lai Xuan was very satisfied with this subordinate who knew when to advance and when to retreat. "The people I've sent to you are all elites trained in Japan, masters of cold weapons, and ruthless ninjas. I only have one request: get that guy named Rin back to Arasaka alive. As for how to find him, that's up to you."

"Here's another piece of information. Lazarus' mercenary squad has already entered Dogtown. You need to hurry."

Lai Xuan ended the conversation in just a few words.

V heard the news he most wanted to hear, but also the worst news: Lazarus... a staunch ally of the Military Science Academy?
She stood up and bowed to Mr. Xu and Lai Xuan. The seemingly radical director waved his hand and watched V leave the meeting room.

"Lai Xuan, is it really okay to let your subordinates get involved?" Mr. Xu asked on the phone.

Arakawa Yorinobu, hands on his hips, paced back and forth in his opulent luxury hotel room. Just then, a voluptuous woman approached and began to entangle herself with him.

"Go have fun first, I'll come right over when I'm done."

After the woman left, Lai Xuan said, "A lone wolf who can escape from the elite troops and military science of Dog Town is more useful than you think. A carefully cultivated tiger is far less useful than a hungry tiger in the wild. We need to get him to trust Arasaka... Assistant Xu."

"My presence will bind that clever woman V and this Rin together within our group. We both see clearly what that counterintelligence head is up to—he simply wants to control this intelligent lone wolf to infiltrate Dogtown and gain merit for himself—"

"And once we get these people out of trouble, they become our most useful weapon. They have enough hostility toward the military science and are capable."

Mr. Xu grinned, “Fifty Tiger Claw Gang members, they were chopped down without hesitation, not a single body intact. And that V, hundreds of people died right in front of him and he didn’t even blink… But I highly doubt they’ll be squeezed out by the company’s power struggles, so you’ll have made a wasted trip.”

Lai Xuan laughed and said, "In the past, we looked down on the barbaric behavior of the Military Science Department, but facts have proved that excellent lone wolves and squads can accomplish many great things. Don't forget about Night City—the final outcome is always written by a few people. As for the struggle... if they can't even climb up Night City, then it proves that they are not qualified and not ruthless enough."

Mr. Xu shrugged. "That kid is ruthless enough, but he's not quite the same as a machine like the Heavy Hammer. He's still quite smart—we'll see if we can withstand the pressure from the Military Science Department and their superiors before we find him."

Lai Xuan adjusted his glasses. "I hope so."
-
Lin Yue drove the gold 388 Jefferson luxury van parked at the entrance, his mind heavy with worry, to take Aguilar to the meeting—Lin Yue was very familiar with this car; it was the one Mrs. Hanz used to ride in.

Speechless all the way.

While driving, Lin Yue would occasionally glance at the silent Cuban woman in the rearview mirror. Naturally, his blatant spying displeased the Cuban assassin.

“I don’t mind gouging out the eyes of Hanz’s stupid underlings. What are you looking at?” Aguilar’s ​​voice haunted him like a ghost.

Lin Yue knew he was in the wrong, and he was desperate to find a flaw in this guy's defenses—

"Excuse me, sir."

How stingy! Can't I even take a look?

To be honest, he hasn't found even the slightest flaw in Aguilar... because he doesn't know much about Aguilar at all.

On the worst, if this is the real deal, it means that Lin Yue's entire team will have to face an intelligence expert and legendary lone wolf with strong infiltration and assassination capabilities. This is definitely something to worry about, at least they need to know where she went.

The car drove out of Dogtown, supposedly because Hans had arranged for Bennett to meet him on the west side of Dogtown.

Poor Bennett, he'll be so pissed off if he finds out it's Aguilar when he gets in the car.

The car began to sway a little as it entered the side road. Aguilar took out his revolver from his pocket and gently wiped it with a handkerchief. "Bennett thinks you know about seeing Hans. So please get out of the car later and invite him in."

"Don't listen to what you shouldn't hear, and don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

Lin Yue nodded, "Okay."

Meanwhile, Sasha was offering him assistance on his call channel, such as how to use malware to take over the car's built-in sensors and other equipment.

Having infiltrated the enemy ranks, Lin Yue still needed to hear what these two figures representing different forces had to say.

He decided that once he determined that this Aguilar was a fake, he would not hesitate to seize his behavioral characteristics.

Before getting into the car, Lin Yue had planned to have Sasha record her behavioral characteristics for the prosthetic faceplate, but the Cuban woman was very quiet and her brain activity wasn't very high, making it impossible to record anything, so he had to give up.

At this moment, the car slowly drove towards the unfinished building near the Long Beach material yard. The sea breeze from Taipingzhou carried the foul smell of garbage into the window, and Lin Yue rolled up the window.

These two certainly know how to pick a spot; the sea breeze from outside the walls squeezes in from here. In this era, the oceans and rivers of Night City generally have a strange smell; the company polluted this planet with everything that could be polluted decades ago.

Sasha: "Lin Yue, you can find a place where the locator is located later, such as the company's automatic navigation guidance device. Most companies have installed these on the roofs of residential buildings. Just find the nearest one."

Lin Yue asked, "How do I operate it?"

Sasha explained it once, and Lin Yue roughly understood. Sasha needed a wireless positioning device to hijack the car's internal signals, and what Lin Yue had to do was to crack the company's positioning device by following the various digital matrix unlocking methods that Sasha provided, which violated the protocol. In this way, the device could act as Sasha's eyes to transmit images from inside the car to Lin Yue with low latency.

Lin Yue then asked about the progress of the operation, "So, how's it going on your end?"

Sasha blinked. "It's better than you think. They even let a company employee escape during the winter month, which smeared our Hanz."

Lin Yue sighed inwardly, Sasha was perfectly suited for this line of work.

The car stopped, and Lin Yue turned to Aguilar and said, "I'll walk a little further and see if I can find any cheap cigarettes."

Aguilar was pleased with this sensible fellow. "I hope you don't beat yourself to death."

Disgust flashed in her eyes. In such a short time, this subordinate of Hans was still thinking about finding a woman.

Under the woman's venomous gaze, Lin Yue got out of the car, lit a cigarette, and disappeared behind the building as if wandering around. Lin Yue quickly climbed onto a rooftop, which was covered with various equipment and company logos, but most of them were broken.

Sasha finally chose the antenna. "That one from Zeta Technology seems to still work, but this one is harder to hack—are you sure you can handle it?"

Lin Yue felt looked down upon and retorted, "I have to do it even if I can't."

Lin Yue was a little dumbfounded when the cable was connected to the external device.

Sasha comforted her, "It must be troublesome, right? Don't worry, tell me about the code, and I'll help you solve it remotely. But once the cracking starts, you only have thirty seconds, so you have to be quick!"

However, after Lin Yue looked at the code, he felt that Sasha was worrying unnecessarily!

Because he determined the pattern of this thing in almost a few seconds. Isn't this violation of the protocol just the number matrix in the game?

Lin Yue: "I think I can."

Sasha: "O_O? You're not kidding me."

To anyone, this code does appear very complex and chaotic; it doesn't resemble the numerical matrix in a game at all, and it contains a lot of distractions.

But for some reason, Lin Yue felt that his mind was very clear, and he could see those regular codes moving through it—it was like using advanced mathematics methods to reduce the dimensionality of a high school elliptic geometry problem, and there were also faint numbers lighting up in the nodes, as if reminding him.

Is it an illusion?

So this is how top students see numbers... Lin Yue found the reason why he failed advanced mathematics: he didn't have any intelligence points!

While Sasha was still confused, Lin Yue had already solved the digital matrix and thoughtfully set up an access channel for her.

Sasha's appearance in the holographic video changed to one of suspicion:

(→_→) "Do you even know how to hack?"

Lin Yue thought about it carefully, "Aside from what I read on my own and what you taught me, I don't really understand the rest..."

He would occasionally lie in bed and look at some hacking techniques courses on the Huangbanzi website, but he could only have a superficial understanding because the knowledge was isolated and couldn't be applied to a broader context. It's like knowing certain patterns and what they are, but not understanding their significance or the underlying knowledge that supports them.

Hacking skills can be categorized into two types: those who have received systematic education or possess strong self-learning abilities, and those who are born to do it, like the five- or six-year-olds who used personal computers to breach company data fortresses.

"You're so mysterious, you always come up with something new." Sasha shook her head helplessly and immediately threw herself into her work. A little while later, Lin Yue looked up and saw a black sedan drive in on the side road.

"Are you done yet? Bennett's here."

Sasha didn't speak. A car in the distance stopped in front of the gold car. Bennett, wearing the Ghost Hound's military uniform, looked around and slowly walked towards Aguilar's car.

Lin Yue watched the scene intently while anxiously waiting for Sasha—

"OK. All done. Quickly connect the vehicle authentication information to the antenna."

Lin Yue entered the car key token into the antenna, and soon an image appeared in his eyes.

Phew, we finally got them kidnapped.

Lin Yue adjusted the camera's position, and finally, the independent hidden camera next to the driver's seat, used for external rescue, was positioned to capture the view of the rear seats.

Boom boom boom!
Bennett knocked on the window from the outside.

Aguilar, clutching his pistol, pushed open the back door of the car.

Bennett poked his head in, and he was completely stunned. "Holy crap! Ah, Aguilar!"

Aguilar patted the chair next to him. "Is it presumptuous of me to come to see you on behalf of Hans, to give you a dose of Cuban special medicine?"

Bennett hesitated slightly, but finally mustered up the courage to sit next to Aguilar and closed the car door behind him.

"Tell me, Bennett, are you having a lot of troubles lately? So much trouble that you're already thinking about finding a new job?"

Bennett's massive frame could only hunch over in the back seat. "Aguilar... let me explain, I admit it! I did look for other buyers, but they were all ingrates, only interested in selling the goods to the stadium, and behind Hansen's back—"

"So what are you doing now?" Aguilar, gun in hand, interrupted Bennett rudely. "Is this some kind of halfway confession?"

Bennett quickly said, "Hans only told me about splitting the profits from sales. I've never even met one of your people. How can you expect me to believe him?!"

Lin Yue carefully analyzed the contents of the conversation; this was information that couldn't be read in the game.

Aguilar said, "Now we're here, and Hanz's will is our will. Besides, you should know our strength."

Bennett: "Yes, yes, yes! I know you came to Sapphire Blue for drinks and meals when the Colonel was doing business like crazy, and you were one of the first supporters... even before that bastard Gago existed."

"But it's 2075 now, almost 2076, and the Colonel's associates are everywhere in Night City... I've been secretly selling your stuff with Hans, and it's not even worth a single one of the Colonel's! What if the Colonel finds out about our relationship?"

No wonder Gago and Bennett reacted very differently when they saw Aguilar.

Gago didn't seem to recognize him, but Bennett knew at a glance that it was Aguilar when he got on the bus.

Aguilar did not interrupt Bennett, gesturing for him to continue.

Bennett slapped his thigh. "You Cubans are trustworthy. If the colonel..."

He was afraid of making too much noise, so he glanced out the window. "If I were to die someday, I'd fucking support you all with both hands and feet! But right now, you're openly coming to Dogtown to support me. If Hansen finds out, what will I do? And that bastard Arasaka even knows about this crap."

"Business takes time, Bennett," Aguilar said coldly. "What if one day Pacifica is all yours and Hans's? Cuba will give you and Hans the best goods in the future. You have your own Ghosthound confidants, and Hans has the company's connections—can't they replace Hansen?"

Bennett was startled. "Holy crap! This... I need to think about it."

Aguilar continued, "Don't worry, the colonel knows about Hans's relationship with us, but he doesn't know about yours... The Cuban hackers have thoroughly investigated Arasaka. That mercenary under Rin doesn't know any details about Hans and you. And let me tell you the most important news—our spy in the military revealed that we can help you solve your problems in a short time. Isn't it worth it for you to join us?"

Bennett pondered for a long time, "Alright, Cubans are reliable! Without further ado, I have a way to get this shipment into the stadium, we'll make money together, and I'll help Hans deal with those guys if he needs me..."

Aguilar said his last words: "Benet, be patient. Your opportunity may come someday. Before that, think carefully about who you can rely on. It will be very helpful to you."

Lin Yue frowned, and Sasha on the other end of the line, after a moment of silence, said incredulously, "Military Science again? Holy crap..."

Lin Yue did not answer Sasha's question. In his eyes, the Cuban group was becoming more and more like a monster. What worried him even more was that the military science was connected with Cuba, which meant that he was about to face a double attack.

But it wasn't without its gains. He confirmed another reason why Hanz had secured his position in Dogtown. He had previously speculated that Hanz was also handling company assets, and now that Aguilar had mentioned it, it was probably true.

Lin Yue planned to investigate further later.

As the car door opened, Bennett got out. After the car drove away from the side road, Lin Yue prepared to exit the surveillance footage, but Sasha called him back.

"Holy crap, Lin Yue! Look at this Cuban!"

Lin Yue was taken aback and quickly looked closely at Aguilar in the back seat. At this moment, she suddenly raised her chest as if she had lost her soul, her eyes began to flicker, and she was making gurgling sounds.

He hurriedly asked, "What's going on?!"

Lin Yue had never seen anything like this before. At this moment, Aguilar was like a puppet that had broken free of its strings, his chin resting on his chest... He looked like he was dead, and it took him a long time to slowly raise his head.

"Disgusting stuff!"

Aguilar cursed.

Sasha exclaimed incredulously, "Sex-pair chip! Lin Yue... someone is controlling Agilar."

Sex pair chip?!
Lin Yue suddenly realized!

So that's how it is?! Lin Yue recalled the strange situation that occurred when Arasaka Hanako met V, and the sex doll entered the motel room, just like Aguilar's situation!
The sex doll chip was originally designed for military personnel to ensure soldiers' complete obedience. However, it has gradually become an important technology for sex doll services because it allows the sex dolls to have no memory of the act afterward while maintaining normal sexual function, thus providing a high degree of protection for the client's privacy.

Suppressing his excitement, Lin Yue, based on his memory and Sasha's confident tone, was convinced that this Aguilar was an imposter! But Lin Yue was also very curious: who was controlling this Aguilar behind the scenes? Perhaps… Hanz?
Without time to think, Lin Yue could only retract the cord; he had to take Agilar back.

"Sasha, can we save those recordings from earlier?"

Sasha: "Of course."

Lin Yue revealed a mysterious smile, letting Bennett know that Cuba had used counterfeit goods to deceive him, which would be a real problem for Hans!

"Then things will be easier."

Sasha asked, "Next? What are you going to do?"

Lin Yue snapped his fingers. "Back then, we took advantage of the fact that the face was useful to see where this person came from. If she was one of Hanz's confidants—we'd find an opportunity to kill her and get information about Aguilar's behavior. Believe me, this information is very useful."

Even now, Lin Yue still feels that he was absolutely right to take that stern face!

Lin Yue had basically figured out Hanz's plan, which at least proved that Cuba couldn't send Aguilar—in fact, it could be said that Aguilar might not even exist, and that some high-level mercenaries with strong combat skills might play the role... After thinking about it carefully, Lin Yue realized that most of the things made sense.

If Cuba doesn't acknowledge that this is something their prestigious organization did, it would be tantamount to erasing the threat Cubans pose abroad, shooting themselves in the foot—something few would be willing to do.

After all, this is Night City, where even the gangs were formed with the company's tacit approval. If Cubans want to squeeze in, they have to consider what the bigwigs in the company square are thinking.

To be honest, Lin Yue wanted to expose Aguilar and find out who he really was, but on the other hand, he felt he hadn't gotten to the heart of Hanz yet, so he could only suppress his excitement, open the car door and sit in the driver's seat.

"Let's go."

The fake "Aguilar" looks very tired.

Lin Yue slowly started the car, his gaze calm. The opportunity he had been waiting for had finally arrived!
What's behind Hans is slowly surfacing; he's starting to get anxious, even going so far as to challenge the colonel's authority for Cuba's sake. And Lin Yue, the venomous snake lurking behind Hans, will seize the opportunity when he's isolated and helpless, and strike him hard from behind!
……

　【Arasaka Tower - Central Courtyard】: In the Demon Ending of 2077, this is the place where the Night City Arasaka Board of Directors holds meetings. It features a beautiful indoor artificial garden environment.

　　【Michiko Arasaka】: Her father is named Kei Arasaka. She owns a detective-type company called Dangerous Girl, which is a mercenary company based on cat ears, uniforms, and anime/moe culture.

　　【Lazarus】: Cyberpunk Red Center has a low market value, but it is the number one company in war mercenary services. It maintains a good relationship with military technology. The elite soldiers they train are prepared for high-intensity wars. Of course, they also have small teams of excellent mercenaries to solve problems for their clients.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)