Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 131 Rebellion Out of Control (12)

89th floor of Arasaka Tower, office of the security chief.

Takeyoshi Suzuki placed his hands in front of him, a standard posture for security personnel on alert.

Sasha was also there, but she was sitting on the office sofa, hugging her knees and blowing bubble gum, casually watching the agents confronting Suzuki in the office.

“Suzuki…be smart, don’t go anywhere right now. Manager Rin is cleaning up the company’s enemies, so you don’t need to get involved.”

Snapped.

Sasha's bubble gum popped softly, and her gaze met Suzuki's in the air.

No words were needed; as subordinates, they knew Rin was in trouble.

"Please step aside now, we need to conduct a routine check on Manager Rin's personal network equipment."

an examination?
Suzuki smiled. "Until I meet Director Abernathy... I'm in charge of overseeing the supervisor's personal equipment—"

“You should probably ask Ms. Sasha if this cybersecurity expert agrees that routine reviews can be conducted under her supervision.”

People in the Special Operations Department always felt that they were superiors to the two major departments.

Logically speaking, this person is Suzuki's junior—he has no right to speak to Suzuki like that.

"Suzuki! I'm not asking you for a favor."

As he spoke, the man with the prosthetic eye, which was a horizontal optical component from Arasaka, touched Suzuki's chest with his hand, his tone quite serious.

Suzuki glanced down at the wrinkles on his suit jacket, and his expression darkened.

Sasha spoke up at this moment, saying in a sarcastic tone:
"Are you planning to install some weird stuff on our supervisor's computer? Are you so sensitive just because I'm watching you? Did I step on your tail?"

The two agents behind that guy turned their heads, and the arrogant guy confronting Suzuki also looked at the girl.

"Ah, I almost forgot about you. You had an operation record yesterday. After we finish reviewing it, please hand over the record and tell me what you were doing."

Suzuki stepped forward. "I say, aren't you taking yourself too seriously?"

The agent retorted without hesitation: "What do you mean? You're going to take action against the special operations team at Arasaka Tower? Think twice about your actions."

Suzuki sneered, "Explain yourself clearly, or you can try coming to my desk."

Sasha chewed on the candy, and her movements slowed down a bit.

The agent looked at Suzuki, who was slightly taller than him, and sneered, "Are you aware of the red alert at the Azure Mansion? It's supposedly just some terrorists from Mexico... You wouldn't have that little faith in your superiors, would you?"

Cyan, red alert?

Sasha's gaze darkened.

[Calling: Rin]

The user you dialed is not in service area.

Suzuki looked at Sasha, who was also looking at Lin Yue, her most efficient subordinate.

Will Suzuki move aside?
Sasha didn't know, but she was certain that if these people touched Rin's personal equipment, they could pin any blame on Rin.

After listening, Suzuki remained silent for a while, then turned his body slightly to the side.

Sasha's eyes showed some disappointment. She calculated that it would be difficult for her to take down these three guys in a very short time. Her anxiety was completely inconsistent with the relaxed expression on her face.

The agent scoffed, "I thought you were all that great."

As he walked past Suzuki, he failed to notice the icy chill in Suzuki's eyes.

Sasha's fingers rested on her thigh as she watched Suzuki's retreating figure. She saw Rin's subordinate place his hands behind his back and point to the two men beside him…

The girl was stunned for a moment.

He then smiled with relief.

"I already told you, it's a routine check—"

Before the agent could finish speaking, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his neck!
The agent's hair stood on end as he caught a glimpse of the scar at the corner of Suzuki's eye and his sinister gaze.

"excuse me."

Suzuki's voice seemed to come from near and far.

This trained samurai knew how to use force appropriately, twisting the man's neck in a non-lethal way.

The two agents following the guy hurriedly drew their guns, but as Sasha's pupils lit up with a pink light, arcs of electricity burst from their bodies, and their hands holding the guns couldn't hold on steady. With a click, the guns fell to the ground.

In their eyes, the girl blowing bubble gum was staring at them with a smile, her long, slender fingers resting on her lips.

"If you don't want your synapses to melt, then behave yourself—shh..."

Their expressions were stiff, and they swallowed hard.

Suzuki walked up to them, grabbed their heads, and slammed them together—the two of them collapsed to the ground.

"Not bad, Suzuki. I thought you weren't going to get involved in this anymore."

Sasha was just betting on whether this Japanese samurai was loyal.

The situation is too delicate right now. If Suzuki doesn't deal with that guy, the moment the gun goes off, the alarm at Arasaka Tower will be activated immediately!
Suzuki frowned. "Miss Sasha, this is not the time to laugh. What's wrong with the boss?"

Without saying a word, Sasha sat down in front of Lin Yue's computer and quickly typed on the keyboard. "Let me make an ICE for the boss's computer first, so that no one can save anything on his computer when we leave. Check if that guy has any external devices or anything like that."

Suzuki crouched down and felt around in the man's suit pocket; sure enough, there was something there!

"Okay."

Sasha caught the external device with both hands, used her human-computer interaction cable to perform a full scan and virus removal, and then looked at the contents on the computer.

As Sasha watched, her expression began to turn ugly.

Suzuki moved closer to Sasha—

[Action Report, Date: February 2, 2076, Trapped Like a Turtle in a Jar.]

[Responsible Department: Security Department]

[Person in Charge: Rin]

[Project: Investigate and eliminate suspicious Mexican individuals who have infiltrated the Azure Building (Night City Branch). Threat level: 60% // Recommendation...]

Sasha pointed to the operation number. "Suzuki, was there this operation the day before yesterday?"

Suzuki carefully read the briefing. "This mission doesn't have a high clearance level. The boss would definitely give it to me. There's no reason for him not to personally lead this operation—"

Sasha realized what was happening and whispered, "We need to find a way to contact someone Rin trusts as soon as possible, preferably a superior!"

This…

Even Suzuki, with his strong mental fortitude, felt a sudden chill. Damn it! What's going on?!

He didn't know who to contact in this situation.

Sasha practically gritted her teeth, "Contact the counterintelligence department!"

Suzuki: "Who?!"

Sasha looked at him, "Arthur Jenkins, hurry!"

While Suzuki was contacting Jenkins, Sasha hurriedly ran back to the cyber hacking room and locked the door to Rin's office.

She quickly delved into Arasaka's subnet, searching for the reason why Rin's signal was blocked.

After finishing his call, Suzuki looked around and found that Sasha was no longer there. He quickly walked into the cyber hacking room.

Professional soldiers rarely make small moves at this time. He didn't ask Sasha what he was doing, but focused on guarding the area and keeping a close eye on the various camera feeds in the hacker's room.

"Suzuki, I'm going to fight back against the hackers blocking the boss! Let's see if we can restore contact. If I experience any spasms or overheating... disconnect my network immediately, don't hesitate!"

Sasha's distorted electronic voice echoed in the hacker's room.

Suzuki nodded. "Don't worry."

……

Jenkins sat at his desk, fists clenched under his nose, contemplating the situation. "Get me a cybersecurity expert from V."

AI: "Connected to you."

"boss."

V's subordinate's voice came through.

Jenkins said in a deep voice, "Fix the problem of Rin's disconnection, and be quick!"

Hearing his boss's unusual tone, Harry's expression on the holographic screen became extremely serious. "Yes."

"Call in the intelligence experts from the Special Operations Department."

AI: "All experts in the special operations department are currently on mission readiness. You may proceed in person..."

Jenkins yelled, "Using my authority as the deputy director of counterintelligence? What a fucking idiot!"

Before long, a detailed report about the Ganbi Building entering a red alert state appeared on his computer screen.

Jenkins practically gritted his teeth as he read it.

Rin was sent to clean up the Azure Mansion? Or was it Abernathy's order?
There's nothing more absurd than this!

Just after Jenkins finished reading the briefing, news from Channel 54 appeared on the office television screen.

Whenever trouble breaks out on Arasaka's territory, News Channel 54 is the most proactive.

"This is Julian Jordan, and I have an emergency news briefing. At approximately 2:20 PM, the Night City Azure Building has been placed under emergency lockdown, and the red alert has been activated. According to reports, a Mexican KB organization has infiltrated the Azure Building, and the Arasaka Security Department has initiated relevant operations in response to the situation."

"Currently, more than fifty passengers remain trapped inside the Kwan Pak Building. Please continue to follow News Channel 54 for more updates..."

Jenkins' facial muscles twitched. That bitch Abernathy!

Once again, they bypassed him to do some petty theft.

Jenkins pointed to the communication system on his desk, and the call was answered.

Abernathy's tone was calm on the other end.

"what happened?"

Jenkins sneered, but asked without any hint of displeasure, "Why did you keep such a big thing happening at the Azure Building from me, Director Abernathy?"

Abernathy was quite blunt. "Do you think I can't handle the Blue Sky Building's problems by myself? The security chief has already gone there... They're just some terrorists, you don't need to worry about them."

Jenkins' tone finally became less polite, "Director, have you forgotten the letter of appointment I received from the Japanese side? I am currently also serving as the Deputy Director of the Special Operations Division. I can submit evidence to the board of directors of your procedural irregularities."

"Give me the permissions."

"Otherwise... I won't let this go so easily."

Abernathy hung up the phone in silence.

Immediately afterwards, the blocked access was transferred to Jenkins.

If it weren't for the Jakarta summit and the messy border incidents, Jenkins would have had more time and resources to cultivate his own people within the Special Operations Unit.

But now someone wants to cut off their own left and right arms first...

Jenkins, observing the weapons project Rin was currently working on, said to the AI, "Connect me to the Japanese side—"

AI: "Sorry, your request has been rejected. The board of directors has issued an emergency order. Director Michiko Arasaka requests that you and other management personnel go to the central courtyard. Inter-regional communication permissions have been closed."

Jenkins was stunned.

He was holding his favorite glass for holding bourbon whiskey when he slammed it hard onto the carpet.

He forced himself to calm down.

I sat there quietly for several minutes. My most trusted V wasn't there... so I could only wait and see what my network expert and Rin's people did.

He stood up, used his privileges to activate a hovercar, and sent a text message to Rin's people: [Hangarorie, A38, Hovercar #145, privileges granted.]

Jenkins straightened his clothes. He knew that Abernathy never fought an unprepared battle… As for those unprepared conflicts, that bitch would always blame it on the counterintelligence department, a complete imposter…

Jenkins, a mid-level manager who had worked in the counterintelligence department for a long time, was not originally a candidate for the board meeting and could have easily intervened.

But now, his position as deputy director of the Special Operations Department has become a stumbling block for him.

Hopefully, when he returns to this office, Rin's people and his own people will be able to gain the upper hand for him.

……

Within the Arakasaka website.

Sasha found clues that had been blocked amidst the deluge of data.

Her image in cyberspace is that of a lively young girl. However, with the help of certain programs, she, who seems harmless, can carry out large-scale killings in cyberspace!
Sasha is very skilled at using the [Anti-Intrusion Protocol], a mainstream and universal program. However, it is not enough for ordinary hackers to use this and the puppet to deal with the hackers guarding the Arasaka Network.

But Sasha is different. She has a whole suite of programs related to anti-intrusion protocols. The lethality of a program is never determined by rigid code, but by the hacker's mind.

"Cat Litter" is the real name of this program suite.

Sasha would use this program to carry out a series of offensive actions and conceal his online presence.

Because she had spent time studying the design philosophy of one of Bartmouth's program suites, "Demon".

【Devil Claw】is one of the programs she created using Bartmouth's ideas, and it's also the most aggressive part of this program suite.

Unfortunately, the entire kit can only be used during deep dives into cyberspace.

As the program started, Sasha's naked body began to reveal layers of close-fitting "armor," which served as her firewall.

The emergence of new algorithms has given everything in cyberspace a realistic feel.

Young Sasha had even heard many legendary stories from the internet:
AI hunters pilot spaceships to search for traces of roving AIs across the network, while internet monitors use black ice to freeze illegal hackers within their regions.

These are all concrete manifestations of the program.

Sasha extended her demonic claws, and using the cat litter program's high stealth capabilities, she found the clogged spot in just a few milliseconds.

She instantly detected the presence of more than five users!

Sasha touched her lips with her delicate paw, and her litter kit began to work.

This action was provocative, and the data disturbance quickly attracted the other party's attention!

The cyberattack occurred in just a few seconds!
Inside the hacker room, Sasha's chest suddenly puffed out!

Suzuki's gaze was calm as he quietly watched over the girl.

In the online world right now.

Sasha's sharp claws clashed violently with the shield-like ICE program of the opposing user!
Data dust fell from the sky, and the temperature in the network access warehouse gradually rose!
Behind her pink armor, a massive amount of red data streams grew wildly, as if they possessed a life of their own—

Sasha asked with a smile, "Want to try reverse engineering?"

The five network users stared indifferently at the lone intruder, letting out disdainful laughter.

However, in just a few seconds—

A simple, round, pink cat face drawing appeared on their interface.

It's out of control?!

The hackers stared at the adorable art style before them, but a chill ran down their spines; it even seemed as if blood was slowly seeping from the upturned corners of the cat's mouth...

……

　【Program Suite】: A concept in cyberpunk board games, referring to a complete set of programs used to display control panels, intrusion, and attack behaviors.

　　【Demon】: The masterpiece of the Internet God Bartmouth. It contains several subroutines, such as Afreet II, which can identify the target program and reverse compile it, imp II, which provides users with a more user-friendly interface, and Baron II, which are offensive programs.

　　【AI Hunters】piloting 【spaceships】: A profession in cyberpunk settings, AI hunters target and collect roaming AIs in exchange for high bounties for network surveillance. Among them, the Plasma Assault Team is the most famous AI hunter group. The captain's image in cyberspace is that of piloting a cyber spaceship and holding a plasma gun.

　　【Black Ice Cube】: This refers to Black Ice programs (divided into anti-human Black Ice programs and anti-program Black Ice programs). Network surveillance uses this type of Black Ice ICE to overload hackers' hardware or to dismantle AI programs.

　　[Reverse Compilation]: This involves performing "reverse analysis and research" to deduce the design elements of another person's software product, such as its ideas, principles, structure, algorithms, processing procedures, and operating methods. In certain specific cases, it may be possible to deduce the source code.
　　The battles in cyberspace are visualized under the new algorithm. If you're interested, you can try learning about board games, or go directly to Bilibili to watch Superconducting Noodles' video: Return to Cyberpunk Board Games, Who Led the Internet's "Ragnarok" - Lucky Bartommos.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)