Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 289 The Journey to Expedition and Freedom: A Road Full of Thorns (Part 1)

Japan Airlines launch site.

There were no tourists coming and going on the wide observation deck, which was about ten meters high. Through the thick glass, Michiko looked up at the tail flames of the space shuttle, which turned the sunset into a sea of ​​fire, and the flames danced in her seemingly calm pupils.

AI: "Dear passenger, due to launch-related factors, all flight schedules for today have been cancelled. Please proceed to the nearest service counter to rebook your flight. Japan Airlines is at your service."

It wasn't that there was an unexpected turn of events, but rather that the child raised by Arasaka was about to return to her battlefield, so naturally, Arasaka Michiko's safety was the top priority within the venue.

The aircraft carried Michiko's researchers involved in the space project, cargo to support Arasaka's near-Earth orbit, and a research team on new prosthetic bodies—including scientists who had defected from the new America. Arasaka sensed a hint of change in the world from these unscrupulous individuals.

They need more black walls as a form of protection.

"He is undoubtedly special."

Michiko recalled the words her grandfather had told her.

The formation of the Black Wall carrier cannot be produced simply by strictly following the steps... Whether the prosthetic body can be withstood by the fragile nerves, whether it can maintain its own consciousness, the progress of the Black Wall in consuming the person, etc. are all constraints on the mass production of this humanoid weapon.

Michiko lowered her eyes, looking at her face reflected in her black suit on the spotless, obsidian-like floor. She also saw—

The woman standing by the board meeting table that day had a face full of fear…

Michiko will never forget the look in Rin's eyes.

His pure, unadulterated hatred, coupled with his calm composure in his rage, instantly merged with Arasaka Yorinobu's gaze.

There was no emotion in my uncle's eyes.

There was no fear in Rin's eyes.

Because Michiko knew that Rin was seriously considering whether she could kill her.

The launch site, intended for tourism, was quiet, save for the Arasaka ninjas standing guard every three steps with their hands behind their backs, and the accompanying medical experts, all patiently awaiting Michiko's orders—she was embarking on her first mission in the honor of the Arasaka family.

All of this was a gift from my grandfather.

"Lord Arasaka!"

Goro Takemura's voice was strong and clear.

This samurai always wore a well-tailored suit, had a wolf-like pale white prosthetic eye, and dark prosthetic patterns on his neck that subtly conveyed a powerful and oppressive aura of strength.

Upon hearing the voice, Michiko turned her head slightly and saw Saburo Arasaka walking slowly into the corridor filled with Arasaka agents on both sides. Like all families, the elders would see the children off. Not to mention that although Michiko had North American blood, half of her blood came from Saburo Arasaka's beloved son.

She tilted her head slightly to the side, like a docile kitten.

"Lord Arasaka."

Saburo didn't speak, he just raised his hand slightly.

At Takemura's signal, the team responsible for Michiko's security and logistics went to board the plane, while the rest waited outside. Takemura walked to the farthest point, his hands in front of him, watching everything warily.

The huge waiting hall felt even more empty.

“In just over an hour, you’ll be back in those barbarian’s territory again, Michiko.”

Saburo, with his hands tucked into his wide sleeves, walked to the chair at the front and sat down with Michiko's help. Michiko gently squatted down beside him.

"Farewells are always bittersweet."

Saburo's cloudy right eye darted around, as if recalling something. "Your father should have been commanding from headquarters, but he personally stepped onto enemy territory... He was a good boy, do you know why?"

Michiko thought for a moment, "Because Father is a very outstanding person."

Is this the answer that Grandpa would like?

Obviously not...

Saburo chuckled and said, “Excellence is just the most basic thing. He has all the qualities needed to lead our empire: innovation, courage, wisdom... but most importantly, loyalty.”

Michiko fell silent.

As a dove, but actually acting in a very ambiguous way, Arasaka's disadvantage on the new American map required such a swinging faction to hold the Night City landing point on North American soil. This was Saburo's plan; things have come to this point entirely within Saburo's calculations.

He looked at Michiko with satisfaction, finally seeing a trace of Hanako in the child.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa..."

Michiko did indeed inherit Kei's intelligence and emotional intelligence. With just a little guidance, she would be a qualified "player" in the corporate system game. "But I feel that Arasaka can no longer wage war against military technology under any circumstances, so he wants to share technology to achieve our common interests—if we are to divide it up, this is the best way."

Saburo exhaled through his nostrils, "You are indeed as intelligent as your father, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to rebuild Arasaka on the map of the new American Free State without any support from headquarters. But have the results been less than ideal?"

Michiko nodded emphatically.

Miles's inauguration involved almost entirely abandoning the terms agreed upon by Michiko and the previous president, leading to the outbreak of a war of unification amidst irreconcilable conflicts…

From then on, Michiko only wanted to be a devoted defender of the city, but in that courtyard that knew everything about the world, Michiko saw what unequal deals looked like—and what a qualified successor should be like within the rules of this empire.

Perhaps only my uncle; he's like a heartless machine, willing to give up anything.

At least his father, Arasaka Kei, didn't give up on him when defeat was inevitable...

"Why is human life finite, child..."

When her grandfather said those words, Michiko slowly raised her head and saw the only enemy of the empire's ruler.

The passage of time is enough to erode any ambition.

Saburo's other, still relatively clear eye moved, revealing the signature smile he often wore at press conferences. "Your uncle wanted to give it to you, but I refused—Michiko, have you already sensed what your youngest son is thinking?"

Michiko was unsure whether she should voice her suspicions, which she wasn't entirely certain about.

But the old man didn't give Michiko a chance to speak. "Since you came back, you have seen all of Night City's actions, and you have seen what those barbarians are capable of doing for their own benefit. We once had an irreconcilable conflict with military technology, but they were willing to eliminate unfavorable factors for our benefit."

"Instead of showing respect to the other party at the negotiating table, it is better to carefully examine the opponent when making a move."

Michiko nodded slightly, indicating that she had listened to the teachings.

Before Saburo could speak, she spoke her mind, "I will take the Night City branch to the heights I desire, just like my uncle. At the same time, I will take Night City seriously, just like my father, and do things the same way he does."

This sentence already contains a lot of information.

After becoming the CEO of Night City, Arasaka Kei personally took charge of the main North American battlefield despite the dangers, and was determined to make progress. He had a team that was completely loyal to him—these people would not even listen to Saburo's orders.

Saburo smiled slightly, reaching out to stroke Michiko's fine, silky hair, like a loving grandfather saying a final goodbye to his granddaughter who was about to embark on a long journey.

"When will you let that child come to Japan, Michiko?"

“Even though that child’s father is part of the Western barbaric people, she still has to take the surname Arasaka. This is an unchangeable rule; bloodline cannot be faked.”

Michiko was kneeling on the ground, her hands slowly clenching in front of her knees, even the hem of her skirt was a little wrinkled...

She is the mother, and also the player making the moves in this game. Grandpa promised to build a team of his own in Arasaka, but the price is absolute loyalty.

“Michiko, Grandpa believes you still have a shred of dignity left. Now that you’ve seen the true colors of those people in the outside world from home, you should know what Arasaka means to us. He’s not a simple organization, nor is he a so-called company.”

"All our dreams are contained within it."

I hope you understand.

Michiko agreed again.

Saburo sighed. "I've already lost too much in the turmoil in Night City. Learn from your uncle and don't stubbornly carry out actions when they're impossible."

Michiko decided to tell him her plans before leaving, because Saburo had mentioned her uncle, and she needed a guarantee for her subsequent actions.

"The significant loss of assets from the Arasaka Yoru no Castle branch, the disappearance of the two Black Wall carriers—shouldn't the authority to address these issues be delegated to Lord Raigen?"

The formality of the form of address determines the purpose of the statement.

Saburo's arrival at this time naturally gave Michiko ample time; he wanted someone who could follow his will, and Michiko's position was clearly very clear.

However, this problem is quite tricky.

Since Saburo cannot change his mind frequently, and since he has decided that Yoriyuki will continue to serve as the CEO of Arasaka, he must carry it out to the end. He only needs to correct the situation at the appropriate time.

"Tell me your thoughts."

Saburo asked this question.

Michiko hesitated for a moment, "That black wall carrier seized assets and caused the death of the company's top lone wolf. I need to confirm whether these things were not due to accidental factors. Although this is just my bold guess, I still have some concerns about it. I hope... you will not blame me."

Saburo suddenly smiled when he heard this.

He was laughing at Michiko for still being that same girl, not daring to speak too harshly, nor daring to easily make enemies.

As far as Saburo knows, Michiko does indeed have a special agent organization comparable to Arasaka's counterintelligence department, and the young people there seem to be mainly engaged in investigations—it seems that Michiko's path is very clear, and these people will serve Arasaka sooner or later.

Are you trying to say your uncle is an enemy?

Saburo's frankness left Michiko somewhat at a loss.

However, Saburo quoted a proverb and answered the question for Michiko: "'Even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs.' If the cubs are not up to par, then I will naturally make them pay the price for their recklessness—but he will not carry out such a bold act. Whether the Black Wall carrier can fight against our strongest weapon after losing the Black Wall link is still unknown."

Would he really gamble like that?

Michiko's gaze gradually darkened.

She knew that her grandfather was simply blaming everything on Arasaka Yorinobu, not that he possessed the ability to orchestrate such a game, but rather that he was deceiving her, deceiving their family...

In fact, this is also what Michiko doesn't understand: Did Lai Xuan really dare to gamble that Rin could defeat the heavy hammer?
Not to mention... it was a temporary joint attack by two rival companies. What kind of thinking allowed Rin to escape from such chaos?

Michiko felt a chill run down her spine as she pondered the situation. The initial discomfort and longing to return to Japan that she felt upon arriving had now transformed into a nameless fear...

"Furthermore, what is Lai Xuan planning to do?"

Saburo muttered to himself, if all of this was Lai Xuan's wish, he would never have acted so rashly in order to seize power.

Counting on his fingers how many days he had left to live, would Lai Xuan be so impatient, nor would he weaken Arasaka's strength so drastically...?

Thus, it seems there is only one answer left for Saburo.

The rebellious, high-achieving son joined the thugs he despised most, attacking the assets and power of the Arasaka family. Although Hanako attributed this to his immature mind, Saburo only had this one qualified successor.

On that night of coming-of-age ceremony.

Saburo exchanged a few words with the child whose face looked slightly immature.

“You were born to be one of the decision-makers at the top of this business empire, so it’s time for you to know these truths.”

"Our vision is to let absolute power set new rules, and the world must be Arasaka's."

"Now, I'm giving you two choices: help your brother achieve the goals we expect, or... choose what interests you and be loyal to it for life."

Saburo will never forget the look in that child's eyes.

Unbelievable, complicated, he looked at his mother's portrait, then silently nodded and chose the second path.

Lai Xuan then disappeared into the Tokyo night.

Saburo couldn't understand why power and strength were things this child despised. It was clearly a kind of glory, enjoying the rights set by the rules and then inheriting that glory... Even if his heart wasn't in it, he shouldn't be Arasaka's enemy.

Until Jing's funeral.

This unruly child saw Arasaka's power and witnessed the shattering of his so-called naive dreams, and obediently bowed his head to his father.

He said, "Father, I see it. Even without Arasaka, there will be many more companies in this world."

“They are more barbaric than us, while Arasaka can bring civilization and a normal system.”

Saburo remained unmoved.

In his view, this was a trick by a naughty child.

Lai Xuan lay on the ground with his head down, talking to himself. Beside him, Michiko clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest, her eyes darting around, as if waiting for her father's decision.

“Lai Xuan, I will kill you. You will be held responsible for any losses Arasaka suffers in Tokyo—aiding the enemy is an even greater crime punishable by death.”

These were the words that Saburo uttered without thinking.

“I have no doubt about your ability to set rules, Father.”

"But Arasaka, you and I have no other choice..."

Lai Xuan sat up, his eyes dim.

"The dream world that my mother described is indeed impossible to achieve."

Lai Xuan then brought up the biggest problem.

He stared at Saburo's departing figure and growled:

"I have come to atone for my sins!"

"I've come to... carry on my brother's last wish and make Arakasaka the strongest on this planet!"

Saburo stopped in his tracks.

……

……

(End of this chapter)