Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 136 Emperor
"Ara...Arasaka-sama?!"

The fresh air in the jungle could not wash away the blood-soaked atmosphere of the central meeting hall.

When Sanlang arrived, the smell of blood seemed to intensify.

It's so real, so real it's chilling.

Because Saburo uses high-tech integrated holographic imaging in all dimensions.

This made him seem as if he were a living, breathing person standing right in front of everyone, as if there were a real person staring at them.

pat.

Wooden clogs tapped on the obsidian floor of the courtyard.

The old, evil dragon slowly walked around the venue with his hands behind his back... Everyone was silent, even Adam Hammer released his hand from Michiko's shoulder and took a small step back.

This is the sheer power and influence!

The sound of footsteps, accompanied by Saburo Arasaka's aged breathing, felt like a thousand pounds pressing down on everyone's hearts.

Lin Yue stood still. The emperor of Arakawa seemed not to see the people and corpses blocking his way. He continued walking towards him step by step, following the same route.

After a slight hesitation, Lin Yue finally stepped aside.

At this critical juncture, let's create some trouble for Lai Xuanshao.

The old man walked up to Michiko, who was kneeling on the ground, and seemed to be thinking.

He looked down at Michiko for a long time.

Saburo spoke, his voice hoarse, in Japanese—a standard Kyoto accent, but very clear.

"Michiko...fear is like the wind, making everything you have teeter on the brink of collapse."

Saburo Arasaka placed his hand "remotely" on Michiko's head, as if giving instructions to a junior.

Everyone listened quietly to what Sanlang had to say.

"Fifty years ago, your father fought his last drop of blood for Arakasa here, and you were just as smart as him... wanting to rise from here. Actually, I once thought you would do everything just like him... but now it seems that fear has taken over your reason—losing doesn't taste good, does it?"

Arasaka Kei has always been Saburo's standard.

That has never changed.

Then, Michiko, her face stained with Abernathy's blood, slowly raised her head, her smile poignant.

"I'm sorry, Lord Arasaka..."

Surely Saburo wouldn't kill Michiko?

Lin Yue's gaze shifted from the back of the local tyrant to Lai Xuan's face in the holographic video.

He noticed that in Saburo's biological son's eyes there was only a very obvious indifference and hostility, which immediately disappeared.

Saburo Arasaka withdrew his hand, and as he walked behind each shareholder, those men froze like statues.

The hammering has begun.

“Some of you really enjoy making mistakes… you’re opportunistic and believe rumors…”

"This is something I don't understand at all."

His calm tone concealed a deadly intent in every word.

Lin Yue frowned as he looked at the former CEO, Arasaka, who was giving the board a hard time. Now, he had handed over power to his son, but his influence was still extremely terrifying.

However, there was a hidden meaning in his words, and Lin Yue felt that the old man seemed to be speaking to Lai Xuan.

Who spread the rumor?

It was Michiko and Abernathy who spoke first, so it's no wonder that Lin Yue and Lai Xuan responded accordingly.

Anyway, now that they're dead, there's no way to prove it.

Michiko would never admit that she conspired with Abernathy to kill Rin, after all, Lin Yue chose to kill Rin during the board meeting precisely to prevent this situation.

"Hua Zi..."

Saburo called out to his daughter.

"Father."

Hua Zi lowered his head slightly.

“You and I are very similar... You are always on the path of competition, but you have never forgotten that we are a family, and so has Arasaka.”

Lin Yue remained expressionless.

I was practically laughing out loud inside.

[Family-oriented]?
Saburo?

Treating one's own son as a petri dish and using relic technology to give this old dog a second life—this is the kind of thing a person who values ​​family would do.
Just then, Lai Xuan spoke up; he had always liked to disobey his father.

"Lord Arasaka."

Lai Xuan strictly adhered to Arasaka's system, which was to address people by their job titles when at work.

"The Azure Mansion has branches all over the world. Kyoto, Paris, Dubai... The Azure Mansion in Night City is equivalent to these branches. Now, Arasaka's internal interests have been undermined. Someone is ostracizing colleagues in Arasaka's image-building projects, even going so far as to cause trouble! Michiko should take responsibility—"

“You taught me that every decision-maker in Arasaka should remain calm and abandon fear.”

"Clearly... President Michiko is not suitable to continue serving Arakawa."

It was practically an open declaration of war!
Lai Xuan's decision was impeccable: Arasaka employees could fight anywhere in Night City, but not in Arasaka Tower or the Azure Mansion.

This is almost a blatant provocation against the Arasaka superstructure and an irresponsible act towards the future development of Arasaka.

Saburo remained silent, slowly raising his head to look at his son.

He had personally promised Lai Xuan that he would become the de facto president of the headquarters, and even handed over six parts of the Arasaka Empire's territory to Lai Xuan. In this situation, how would the cunning and intelligent founder of Arasaka handle the situation?
Lin Yue didn't know.

His goal was to kill Abnersey, and as for Michiko, he had anticipated that someone from the Arasaka family would come to take the fall for her.

Look at the current situation, here comes our savior!
This security chief, who was barely familiar with the Arasaka struggles and was exhausted from dealing with them, was very curious.

What methods will Saburo Arasaka use to save his granddaughter from his son, who is determined to kill her?

Unexpectedly, this local tyrant laughed after hearing his son's rather disobedient words.

"You've finally grown up, Lai Xuan..."

Lai Xuan frowned deeply.

He seemed unable to understand his father, a 150-year-old man who spent almost every day immersed in a cryogenic medical system in an attempt to slow down his own aging. Some life science experts and network scientists directly obeyed Sanlang's orders.

Lai Xuan only knew that his father had an almost obsessive pursuit of immortality... In addition, his father's intelligence and keen sense of smell always made Lai Xuan feel a strong sense of unease.

Furthermore, the father had to be very lenient in setting the course for the Arasaka Empire.

He seemed afraid of a full-scale war within the company, and adopted a slow and steady approach amidst the encirclement of various enterprises.

Lai Xuan hated this zombie-like way of thinking and was disgusted by Saburo's pursuit of the ultimate in life. He even once referred to the room where the cryogenic medical system was located as a "refrigerator".

“You’ve remembered what I taught you perfectly. So… go ahead and make your decision.”

Lin Yue was stunned, his expression was a little strange, and even Hua Zi found it hard to believe.

The shareholders looked at each other, unsure whether Saburo Arasaka was being sarcastic.

AI: "Protocol activated. Michiko Araka, Vice President of the New America Region, has her permissions cleared."

An uproar!
Even Michiko's eyes were filled with gray despair as she stared intently at the old man who had given her her name, "Lord Arasaka..."

"According to the relevant legal agreements of Night City Arasaka Tower, the position of National Vice President is vacant and will be temporarily filled by Mr. Nitta Kazuya."

While everyone remained silent, Saburo continued speaking to Michiko: "If you lose, then grow up. Come to Japan, come to Kyoto... come to the place where your father grew up, and slowly learn and understand."

"The barbaric West makes people stupid and uncivilized. Go back to your homeland... Michiko."

A cold smile appeared on Lai Xuan's lips.

Lin Yue is the same.

If she's not the president of Arasaka, then it means she's Saburo's granddaughter now. He immediately pulled her to his side and looked at her.

This will prevent Lai Xuan from taking action.

Lin Yue cursed the old fox under his breath, but he couldn't help but admire the old guy's ability to scheme.

You want to sideline your rivals? Fine, but I'll be watching you.

However, what Lin Yue didn't know was that the new vice president, who was temporarily in charge, was a complete technocrat who had developed several smart firearms for Arasaka while in Honshu and had even participated in research related to [ACPA].

Lai Xuan knew about this.

So he didn't feel like he had won everything, but at least this concession gave Lai Xuan a chance.

With Michiko gone, the doves are leaderless, and they can be gradually eroded, it just takes some time.

All right.

Saburo Arasaka has finished talking about his daughter, son, granddaughter, and shareholders. It seems that it will be his turn next.

as predicted!

Saburo's one eye locked onto Lin Yue in the next second...

"はなはさくら、ひとはぶし (Sakura is the best among flowers, samurai is the best among men)."

Lin Yue did not respond.

Who knows what this old man is saying to himself?

He probably sees himself as a loyal subordinate of Arakasaka and is awarding himself "honorary honors".

“There are always some petty people in Arasaka who fight amongst themselves, but you do things with integrity. I know you can’t control yourself very well yet… but you are excellent and special.”

Lin Yue's expression darkened as he listened.

It seems... this guy is fully aware of the modifications Lai Xuan has made to his own state.

This local tyrant, who seems to be constantly thinking about prolonging his life, has a truly impressive intelligence network.

In a sense, the reason he dared to let his son make great strides in Arakasa—even to the point of making enemies and causing trouble—was that he was well aware of the situation and simply wanted to have Hanako restrain him appropriately at the right time.

It's less a matter of confidence and more a matter of arrogance.

Combine it with your own memory.

Lin Yue was certain that the old dog's plan to ambush his son at Konbi was a well-planned move, even foreseeing his own death there, because he knew how to provoke Lai Xuan and how to make Lai Xuan stand on the side of betraying Arasaka!
This is terrifying… Lin Yue looked at the old man, whose body was almost decaying but whose mind was still clear. At this moment, he had only one thought:

The struggle has only just begun!
After saying all this, Saburo seemed tired.

He murmured, "Lai Xuan, it's good to be bold, but it's also bad to misjudge people. You know, even a sharp knife can hurt yourself... I will handle your personnel appointments, so... don't let me down."

"Hanako...take Michiko home."

After saying this, Saburo disappeared from the spot.

The dust has settled.

After Saburo left, Lai Xuan let out a long sigh of relief in his luxurious suite.

He knew that Rin had repaid him with a perfect performance this time.

If Abernathy were alive and the matter were to proceed to court as Lai Xuan had envisioned, it would become an intractable mess once his father was involved.

That would not only delay things but also introduce some variables, making it difficult for me to quickly take control of the Arasaka Tower in Night City.

But the most ingenious part is that Rin, without any instruction, killed Abnersey with lightning speed, and Michiko's mouth was naturally sealed, so no one would pursue the matter any further.

Night City completed this blood transfusion at minimal cost.

As for the eldest brother's daughter?
He just... let Michiko go for now, after all, Rai Xuan still didn't want to see this woman return to Night City.

Lai Xuan felt a deep sense of exhaustion.

By this time, Hua Zi could no longer bear the blatant humiliation she had endured. Shortly after her father's disappearance, she hesitated to speak to Lai Xuan before finally shutting down the holographic projection.

Then, several Arasaka agents came in from the courtyard, helped Michiko up, and took her away.

Everything has dispersed, leaving only a mess.

Lai Xuan twisted his stiff neck and looked at Mr. Xu.

"Thank you for your hard work today."

Mr. Xu smiled slightly, his gaze fixed on the shareholders across from him who had lost Michiko.

Jenkins, on the other hand, was restless.

Because from beginning to end, the head of the counterintelligence department was the one who was unaware of the situation. His efforts were to help Rin obtain route access and to submit a detailed report on the Central Court to the Japanese headquarters.

Whether Lai Xuan saw his letter or not remains unknown.

Therefore, Jenkins was very unsure of himself. Both morally and logically, Rin came from his own department, and V, who was under his command, was an employee he had recruited from outside Arasaka Tower. If Lai Xuan were to charge him with dereliction of duty, he wouldn't dare to utter a word.

His passive behavior today could very well alienate Lai Xuan, thus excluding him from the center of power.

Jenkins' palms were sweaty as he forced himself to meet Lai Xuan's gaze, hoping to bolster his confidence.

“Jenkins…”

Lai Xuan muttered the name of the head of the counterintelligence department.

Lin Yue glanced at Jenkins, his brows furrowing.

I always felt that Jenkins was the busiest scapegoat in the company, and now I think he's probably the most idiotic person.

How will Lai Hsuan-hui handle this situation?
Just as Arthur Jenkins was sweating profusely, Lai Xuan said something calmly.

"You will temporarily take over the position of Director of Special Operations."

Ok?
This…

Jenkins had already come up with many excuses, but he never expected Lai Xuan to promote him? And to the position he had always dreamed of.

Inappropriate?

Even Jenkins himself felt that if Rin were in charge of the special operations today, he wouldn't dare to say a word.

He hurriedly got up, which meant that from then on, there would always be a chair reserved for him at the Night City shareholders' meeting, which was basically the ceiling for the working class who had climbed up step by step in Arasaka.

Jenkins is actually quite well-educated; Arasaka values ​​academic qualifications, and he himself is a graduate of Boston University. But at this moment, he still wants to say something—

屮!
Everything seemed to have changed, except for Lin Yue, who felt that he had been stopped by the old man.

Lin Yue wasn't stupid; he understood what Sanlang meant by his nonsense.

It's simply because they're worried that someone with a possible cyberpsychotic tendency might be uncontrollable. They're making Lai Xuan think carefully about personnel orders, and I guess Lai Xuan is quite helpless about it.

His own people were blocked at this critical juncture. Although Rin could be given a promotion in private, it wouldn't look good on the surface.

After a fierce battle at the Azure Building, is it acceptable not to get a promotion?

Of course not, Lai Xuan has plenty of ways.

If there are no conditions, then create them.

His fingers tapped on the leather armrest of the weapon, and then he said, "The Security Department will be abolished and merged with the Counterintelligence Department starting today. Rin will be promoted to Minister of Counterintelligence and Security, and V will be promoted to Minister of Counterintelligence and Intelligence."

Is this... okay?
All shareholders had reservations about the decision.

It is common knowledge that the functions of counterintelligence and special operations agencies conflict in some respects.

The most important function of counterintelligence is to be responsible for intelligence gathering and sweeping operations externally, and internally to vet middle and lower-level managers and employees.

The Special Operations Unit is responsible for carrying out high-level inspections and supervising the counterintelligence department under the orders of headquarters. When necessary, the Special Operations Unit is also responsible for the security of high-ranking personnel from headquarters.

This is also why, in Lin Yue's memory, Abernathy committed seppuku after Hua Zi was kidnapped.

As for the security department, it has always been a gathering place for "muscle men".

In other words, both departments can command the security department.

This department is responsible for providing personnel and resources to the two higher-level departments, and is also responsible for the security of Arasaka Tower. Even the Arasaka Police are under the management of the security department.

This move has inadvertently merged Night City's Arasaka Tower's deadly blade and cunning mind. With such a powerful function, won't it squeeze out the Special Operations Department?

They might think it, but no one dared to say it.

"The two of you have been promoted... your authority has been increased by one level. Everyone, let's adjourn today's meeting."

"Rin, you stay."

The shareholders, who dared not speak out, all stood up.

Lin Yue's gaze fell on one of the short, mixed-race men, who seemed to be the future Vice President of the North American region, Arakasa.

Lin Yue could read the hostility.

However, he merely nodded slightly, his face expressionless.

As the shareholders left, Lai Xuan finally stood up as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Lin Yue with a deep gaze.

"I'm sorry, although I know that your prosthetic body breaking won't cause severe pain, your other injuries... seem quite serious."

"You can pick any good doctor from the medical field in the world. I heard those rebels used Arasaka's backdoor to control you? Don't worry, I killed that guy on Honshu."

This is a gesture of goodwill, and it also reveals the true face of the world's anti-capitalist pioneers.

Lin Yue nodded. "Mr. Lai Xuan, do I still need to go to this state for treatment?"

Lai Xuan laughed and said, "You don't have to go, you hate that place. But you can have some confidence in Arasaka's craftsmanship... I've already read your vital signs report—just as you entered the courtyard."

"Finding a reliable prosthetic doctor can definitely help you get a prosthetic. As for what's in your head, I suggest you... restrain yourself."

"This is a report on Relic-related technologies. If you feel that you can't hold on any longer, Arasaka's orbital space station can copy your consciousness."

“Arasaka’s technology has only reached this level at most. My father… has focused almost all his efforts on this. In fact, your prosthetic body is just a rudimentary piece of military technology cobbled together by scientists who defected from the military… So, I’m very sorry, Rin.”

Lin Yue shook his head.

Arakawa's development of the Black Wall is so poor, there's nothing to complain about.

However, his impression of Lai Xuan improved more and more – after all, speaking honestly is always better than lying.

Lin Yue has a way to solve the AI ​​problem, he just needs a relatively safe environment.

Lai Xuan paced back and forth and said, "Lin, I can't see through you. Sometimes I feel that your determination is greater than I imagined... I want to ask you a question, and you can choose not to answer."

"what do you want?"

Lin Yue was not surprised at all by the question and answered it almost without thinking.

“This is no longer a question of what I want, Mr. Lai Xuan. It’s about what I can do… The tide is pushing me forward, and I have to open my arms and swim to save myself. But you are the one who controls the tide, so you can’t understand what I want.”

Lai Xuan was stunned.

Then he smiled and said:

"Tides...an interesting metaphor."

"Then let's go swimming. My father needs my help with a technology that Arasaka is developing, so let's keep the Night City thing to ourselves."

One of the clear-headed beings in this murky world said, "Rin, you must be careful to protect yourself."

Lai Xuan hadn't seen someone so agreeable in a long time. Some lackeys were useful, but Lai Xuan understood what they wanted.

Only the guy in front of me was crawling as if his own body was burning.

"If you're really worried about the backdoor thing... talk to someone you trust. Tell me where you're going to get treatment."

Lin Yue fell silent.

Behind him, Suzuki's brows furrowed with anxiety, "Boss..."

He was very loyal and only knew that Rin's injuries couldn't be delayed.

Lin Yue: "Night City, Watson District, Little Chinatown."

Lai Xuan nodded. "The materials for the prosthetic body assembly will be sent from Japan soon via rail-based air freight. Goodbye, Rin."

……

　[Family-Oriented]: In the Nocturne 2077 main quest, Hua Zi asks V what her father values ​​most, and her answer is family. This is the result of Hua Zi being brainwashed by San Lang for a long time; in other words, Hua Zi is a woman with no bottom line who only thinks about obedience.

　　【Cryogenic Medical System】: A concept from cyberpunk board games, using cryogenics to prolong life, or to delay formal treatment in case of fatal injuries.

　　[Refrigerator]: When Lai Xuan cursed Sanlang, he used the phrase "dreaming of immortality in his refrigerator".

　　【ACPA】: In cyberpunk board games, there is an external auxiliary mech similar to Iron Man. This mech is very strong and powerful, and it is also one of the manifestations of heavy weapons in the cyberpunk worldview.

　　5600 words today. Taking a short break on Friday~
　　I'm sleepy, everyone can take your time reading.

　　(●''●)
　　
　
(End of this chapter)